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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23495098">An Unlikely Pair</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/reachingforthestars18/pseuds/reachingforthestars18'>reachingforthestars18</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Winx Club</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:54:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>78,668</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23495098</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/reachingforthestars18/pseuds/reachingforthestars18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Flora and Tecna come from completely opposing worlds; Linphea thrives with nature, and Zenith runs entirely on technology. However, the two of them form a strong duo, so strong that their differences, if anything, complement it. But when Flora’s realm comes under siege by Zenith and Tecna has to struggle with an abusive employer, their very friendship is tested. How far will they go to save each other and the Magical Dimension?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Flora/Mirta (Winx Club), Tecna/Timmy (Winx Club)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Omega Portal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone! Welcome to my new story, An Unlikely Pair (AUP)! It will be posted concurrently with my other story, ATIS. I am very excited to share with you my rendition of Winx Club Season 3!</p><p>This story will contain LGBT characters. As you will see, the pairings are: Flora/Mirta and Timmy/Tecna. If you do not approve, please exit now.</p><p>Other than that, there are no content warnings. Unlike ATIS, this story is fairly straightforward, following the Season 3 plotline (with a few twists, of course) in a much more in-depth Winx Club universe. Please enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            “School’s out!” Musa called as they ran down the steps of Alfea. They wore their bikinis, looking forward to a final day together before they all parted for spring break.</p><p>            "Hey, guys!" A voice called out. Flora looked up and saw a girl with bright red hair waving at them, her black halter-top contrasting against her pale skin. She waved at them all, but her smile seemed to extend especially towards Flora.</p><p>            "Mirta!" Flora cried. She ran up to the girl and they both hugged tightly, as if they hadn't seen each other at all the past year. Mirta had gone with them on their trip to the Resort Realm, and it had been she who had helped Flora restore the Flower of Life. She pulled back slightly and gazed lovingly into her girlfriend's eyes.</p><p>            She would have kissed her, had it not been for her friends behind, who didn't know a thing about Flora's sexuality. <em>The only other people who know are Chatta and my parents, so let's keep it that way.</em> She drew back and turned towards the other girls.</p><p>            "Mirta, come join us!" Bloom called. "We're going to stop and get pizza, then we're going to the beach."</p><p>            "Yes, let's go," Flora agreed. "I haven't seen you since the end-of-year party."</p><p>            Mirta looked a bit hesitant, and Flora could understand why. Her girlfriend was rather insecure, especially around the Winx. It was not for nothing that the six girls were at the top of their class. Mirta, on the other wing, had just completed her transition from witch to fairy, and would only be starting at Alfea this upcoming school year, as a freshman. She was understandably nervous about fitting in with the new culture, and the comments she might get from other girls. She squeezed her girlfriend's hand.</p><p>            "Don't worry," she said quietly, so only Mirta could hear. "The Winx aren't like that. We understand you. Respect you. Please come with us."</p><p>            "Sure," Mirta finally conceded.</p><p>            Just then, a golden chariot burst in through the Alfea gate, pulled by six white stallions. Bloom and Musa darted out of the way, and Layla cartwheeled to the side. The other four girls looked upon the chariot with fright. The chariot ground to a stop right in front of Stella, who was squealing her head off.</p><p>            "What is the meaning of this?" Flora heard Griselda's outraged yell. The hook-nosed, ill-tempered woman stood on the steps to the school, her hands on her hips as she glared down at the chariot. "I was not informed of this. Who are you and why have you come?"</p><p>            Stella finally looked up. When she did, her jaw dropped. "Sir Marco!" she cried.</p><p>            "Stella, did you charter this chariot?" Griselda asked severely.</p><p>            Flora craned her neck to get a better look. The man was tall and mustachioed, with hair just as golden as Stella's. He tipped his hat to Griselda.</p><p>            "My apologies, signora,” he said in a Solarian accent. "I am Sir Marco Vanzetti of Solaria, member of the Royal Guard. I was sent to deliver a message of utmost importance to Her Royal Highness the Princess of Solaria. I assure you she did not know I would come."</p><p>            "Well, what is it?" demanded Griselda.</p><p>            The man turned to Stella. "Greetings, Your Highness. As you know, your eighteenth birthday is coming up on Sextmensis 18."</p><p>            "Unfortunately, during school," Stella muttered.</p><p>            Flora recalled that Stella was the second-only Winx, second to her.. Her birthday was during the summer months in Magix, but that also coincided directly with school. Flora was the only Winx girl whose birthday fell during vacation; all others had birthdays during the school year.</p><p>            "Under normal circumstances, we would celebrate your coming of age then," Sir Marco said.        "However, due to the calamities that the Magic Dimension has been faced with for the last two years, your father believes that you should not return home on that day. Therefore, His Radiance the King of Solaria has decreed that your Princess Ball shall be held on Quadrimensis 13, approximately two months-and-a-half after you return home."</p><p>            "Already?" Stella cried out, startling Flora. "This is so awesome!" She began to dance around.</p><p>            "Umm"… Musa voiced what everyone else was thinking. "What the heck is a Princess Ball?"</p><p>            "It's a tradition upheld in some kingdoms to signify the coming-of-age of a princess," Layla explained. "My realm has that tradition, too, though the age of adulthood in Andros is sixteen." She sounded forlorn. Flora remembered that, until she'd met the Winx girls, Layla hadn't had any friends. <em>Must have been a dull experience, not having any friends to share it with.</em></p><p>            "You've all got to come to this!" Stella exclaimed. "I can't wait to share it with you all! I'm going straight home now, so we can check out the Solarian fashions! You've all got to come home with me" –</p><p>            "But I'm going home to see my parents," Bloom protested.</p><p>            "And I was gonna hang out with Layla," Musa added.</p><p>            Flora looked over at Mirta. Mirta was going to be coming with her home to Linphea, and spend the break with her.</p><p>            "Okay, yeah sure," Stella said impatiently. "But you'd all <em>better</em> be there a week before the Princess Ball starts."</p><p>            "Wait a second, I can't come," Tecna suddenly said. "I've got to go home."</p><p>            "What?" Stella gasped. "Not even for the Ball?"</p><p>            "I'm sorry, but I have to be home," Tecna said firmly.</p><p>            "Tec," Stella pleaded, "you can't miss this opportunity! You've got to come! It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience! You" –</p><p>            "No!" Tecna cut her off. "The answer is no." She began to walk off, the other girls staring after her.</p><p>            "What's up with her?" Musa wondered.</p><p>            "I dunno, maybe she really can't go," Layla answered. "You don't need to be so aggressive, Stella. Just let it go."</p><p>            "I wasn't being aggressive!" cried Stella, stung. "I was just inviting her to my ball. If that's so wrong” –</p><p>            "It's okay, Stell," Bloom said, putting an arm around her friend's shoulder. "I think we should just let it go."</p><p>            "I'll go talk to her," Flora said. Not waiting for an answer, she ran towards Tecna, who was storming off.</p><p>            "Tecna," she called, running up to her pink-haired friend. "Do – do you want to talk? You don't have to, but if you need someone, you" –</p><p>            The girl turned around, her face carefully devoid of emotion. Flora knew Tecna well enough to know that it was a well-trained façade she put up whenever under stress. After all, she was from Zenith, a realm where efficiency was valued over emotion. Sometimes Flora wondered whether Zenithians were actually human, or if they were just duplicates of the robots they relied upon.</p><p>            "I'm fine," she said, rather stiffly.</p><p>            "No, Tec, you're not," said Flora softly. "Just tell me what it is. Why were you so upset? You" –</p><p>            "I didn't mean to show that," said Tecna, a bit of color coming into her face. "I mean – I apologize."</p><p>            "No Tecna, that's not what I mean," said Flora. "I just don't understand. We've been friends for so long – all of us. And yet, you don't want to come to the Princess Ball with us. You've never come to visit us in our home realms during any vacation. Why not?"</p><p>            Now Tecna's face changed – from a colorless, expressionless façade to a sardonic mask. "You think I don't want to come?" She let out a bitter laugh. "Believe me, Flora, I would if I could. But I have to be with my family. It's simply not logical to go to the Ball when I have duties to attend to at home. I have to go."</p><p>            "Tecna, why?" Flora pleaded. She didn't know why Tecna was acting like this. Ever since she'd confessed her feelings to Timmy that autumn, she'd become more open about herself. But it was times like this, especially when anyone started asking anything about her family, when she simply clammed up.</p><p>            Flora knew nothing about Tecna's family. Even after all these years, it was a highly guarded secret, something Tecna couldn't talk about. It was kind of like how Layla had been so nervous initially, stuttering and apologizing for everything.</p><p>            <em>But Layla is different</em>, Flora thought. <em>She's scared of being left alone. Tecna </em>wants<em> to be left alone. And she's always so secretive about everything. This isn't good for her.</em></p><p>            "Look, Tec," she said, "I know things have been hard for you, even though you haven't as much as said so. But if you ever need a friend, well, I'm here. I'll always be here for you, Tecna."</p><p>            For a moment, a surprised look appeared in Tecna's electric blue eyes, the eyes that always appeared so emotionless all the time. But it was quickly replaced by her usual expressionlessness, and she responded with barely a whisper, "Thanks."</p><p>            "All right then," Flora answered. "Do you want to go back and join the others?"</p><p>            "No." The response came back sharp and brittle, and Flora pulled back in surprise. "Sorry," Tecna muttered. "I mean, I have to go back now. My parents need me. I – I'll see you in Trimensis when school starts."</p><p>            "Bye, Tecna," Flora called softly. She could've sworn she'd seen a tear in her friend's eyes as she pulled away.</p><p>***</p><p>            The girls went to Kunti's Pizza, Bloom and Stella taking up the front. Stella was chattering nonstop about her Princess Ball, and the others followed, content to listen.</p><p>            Flora was happy for Stella. She was always so cheerful; even though she could be insensitive at times, she did have her friends' interests at heart. She deserved something fun and relaxing after their long battles.</p><p>            "This pizza totally rocks," Musa exclaimed.</p><p>            "They make it so crispy and nice," Flora agreed. Since they came here so often, the man behind the counter already knew their orders without having to ask them. They usually got two pizzas between the other five Winx. Since Flora was vegan, she couldn't eat pizza; however, the pizzeria did have a flatbread with tomato sauce and olives. She usually got a slice of that, something Stella never ceased to laugh at.</p><p>            "Hmm, you're hyping it up so much," Mirta said, eyeing Flora with a mock-glare. "It'd better be as good as you say it is."</p><p>            "Order number 19032," the man called, giving them two boxes of pizza. Stella immediately walked up to him, and extended her arms to take it.</p><p>            "Thank you," another voice said, and a short girl wearing a purple dress grabbed the boxes. Stella immediately turned around, enraged.</p><p>            "Who are you?" she demanded. "That's our pie!"</p><p>            "Not anymore," the girl said coolly.</p><p>            Flora and Mirta exchanged uncomfortable looks. "Uhhh"… Mirta said, looking scared. "Where did she come from?"</p><p>            "And why's she taking our pizza?" Flora added.</p><p>            "I've been waiting here in line just as long as you," the girl retorted. "It belongs to me and my friends. The service here is so slow." She rolled her eyes disdainfully, the five girls behind her following suit.</p><p>            "Yeah, because they make pretty darn good pizza!" Stella snarled back. "And it's ours, so give it back. I <em>paid</em> for that pizza!"</p><p>            "Why don't we split it up?" Bloom asked the girl in the purple dress. "You give us one box, and you keep the other. We can eat that while we wait for them to make two more boxes."</p><p>            It seemed like a logical solution – <em>Tecna would probably be impressed</em>, thought Flora, feeling sad as she thought of how Tecna had been forced to go home by herself. But Stella and Purple Dress weren't buying it. Stella glared at her, and lunged for the boxes of pizza.</p><p>            But the other girl had a firm hold on them as well. The two of them fought, pulling with all of their might, neither one letting go. They pulled until the boxes flew in the air – the top one towards Stella, the bottom one towards Purple Dress. They screamed as they both fell to the floor, sauce, cheese, and pie on their clothes.</p><p>            "My Spella McCarthy!" Purple Dress wailed. "I don't believe it!" She glared at Stella, and then stood up. "<em>Banishus</em>!" The red mass flew off of her dress and into the trash can.</p><p>            "<em>Stainus removus</em>!" Stella shouted. The spattered imprint on her orange crop-top disappeared.</p><p>            "What are you, Alfea girls?" Purple Dress asked disdainfully. "Is that why you're dressed so tackily?"</p><p>            "You're not ones to talk about tacky!" Stella retorted, eyeing Purple Dress and her friends with disgust. "That dress is so last millennium. You look like a prude."</p><p>            "Yeah, well, you look like a vamp," Purple Dress retorted. "And definitely from Alfea. We're from Beta Academy." The other girls nodded enthusiastically.</p><p>            "Chimera's the top in the whole school," one of the girls said, pointing to Purple Dress. "Beta is where we learn the real stuff. Alfea is a dumping ground. You guys are just wannabe" –</p><p>            "That's enough!" the man behind the counter barked. He had kept silent this whole time, but now he looked enraged. "You girls have spilt sauce all over my parlor. I'm not serving you any more pizzas the rest of this winter. Either get out or I'm calling the Magix Police to remove you by force. Are we clear?"</p><p>            Flora and Mirta didn't wait. They both ran out the door, Musa, Layla, and Bloom following close behind. Stella was still there, arguing with a very furious pizza man.</p><p>            "But that was <em>my</em> pizza!" she cried.</p><p>            "STELLA!" Bloom yelled. "Come on!"</p><p>            "Oh, all right," Stella grumbled, but not before giving Chimera a livid glare as she raced out.</p><p>            "We'll find another pizza place, don't worry," Musa said. "For now, I say we go hit up that beach."</p><p>***</p><p>            "Come on, let's hit the waves!" Layla called, racing towards the sea in her bright green bikini. Bloom and Musa followed suit.</p><p>            Stella stared at the waves in distaste. "I'm gonna go and get a tan," she said. "This sun feels so nice and warm, and it's filling me up with so much energy. No icky water for me, no thank you."</p><p>            She left. That left Flora and Mirta sitting under the shade of a tree, near the grass. Flora gazed towards the sea, where Layla was surfing effortlessly over waves, and Musa was unsuccessfully trying to join her. Bloom was swimming, grinning over at the other two as they both stood on their surfboards, one with more balance than the other.</p><p>            Flora reached a hand over the tree and stroked it lovingly. Similarly to how the sunlight gave energy to Stella and the sea's motion gave energy to Layla, Flora absorbed her power from all plants and trees. She was Linphean, after all. She closed her eyes, relaxing on the exchange of energy that she gave to the tree and the tree brought her.</p><p>            "You're really connected to them, aren't you?" Mirta's voice interrupted her thoughts.</p><p>            Flora opened her eyes and looked back to Mirta. "Yes, I am," she said. "The same way I'm connected to you." She gazed down at Mirta's slender figure, her white skin under the black swimsuit with neon pink stripes. Reaching a hand back, she stroked Mirta's exposed back. "That swimsuit looks great on you, by the way."</p><p>            Mirta blushed, her cheeks becoming red. Then her face became fearful. "Stop, someone might see." She pulled away from Flora.</p><p>            "No one's looking," Flora whispered, tucking a strand of Mirta's neon red hair behind her ear. "There's too many people on this beach between us and the other girls, and they're too busy having fun anyways." She frowned at her girlfriend. “So, you’re sure you don’t want my friends to know, right?”</p><p>            “I don’t want to,” Mirta whispered. “If we’re open about it, everyone will hate us. In Whisperia, gay people are branded as perverts, and the government does nothing to stop routine discrimination. I don’t think it’s much better in Andros or Zenith. Besides, some of your friends come from very conservative backgrounds. I just want to keep it between us for now, okay?”</p><p>            Flora nodded. “I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with,” she said, looking into Mirta’s indigo eyes. Truth to be told, she had doubts about telling her friends, too; she didn’t know how they would take the news. “Are you sure you’re okay with coming home to Linphea with me? Speaking of which, what did your parents say?”</p><p>            Mirta shifted uncomfortably.</p><p>            "Well?" Flora pressed on.</p><p>            "I haven't told them yet," Mirta admitted. "I can't have them know I'm a fairy, and I can't let them know I'm bisexual. They'll be furious if they find out either" –</p><p>            "They don't even know you transitioned?" Flora was shocked. "Mirta, I thought you'd told them!"</p><p>            "I – I didn't," Mirta looked ready to cry. "I knew if I told them, they'd do everything in their power to stop it. Headmistress Faragonda paid the medical expenses for the transition, with the promise that I'm going to work in the kitchen during the year. I have to work at Alfea anyways, in order to pay for my tuition."</p><p>            "That – that's" – Flora breathed. The second part didn't shock her – she and Bloom anyways had to work in the kitchen, along with several of the other girls who weren't covered. But she couldn't believe that Mirta still hadn't told her parents. "Are – are you sure that they" –</p><p>            "I'm sure," Mirta interrupted her. "They think I'm staying the summer on an internship with Griffin, just like last year. I'm so sorry I lied to you, Flo. I shouldn't have, but it was just so hard, and I didn't want to" –</p><p>            "Don't worry about it," Flora said quietly, putting her arm around her shoulder. "You've been through so much one year, Mirta. The transition is so hard to make – you could've died through that process! But you're safe now, and alive. That's all that matters."</p><p>            "I couldn't have done it without you," Mirta sniffed, leaning over and hugging Flora.</p><p>            The action sent a tingle through Flora's back. She extended her hand over, gently stroking Mirta's half-exposed back. <em>She's so sweet…</em> She wanted nothing more than to kiss Mirta at that moment, to relieve all of her problems –</p><p>            A shout pulled Flora out of her moment. The two girls pulled back, turning their heads towards the sea. Everyone around them was standing up, craning their heads for a look.</p><p>            Musa was running into the sea, followed by Layla and Bloom. She was panting as she ran against the current of the waves, and called, "Are you alright? What's going on?"</p><p>            "Let's go," Flora said, pulling Mirta to her feet. Mirta squeaked in surprise as Flora ran towards the waves, dragging her along. The two girls made it to the sea, and Flora stared down at the thing – or rather, the person – that Musa was pointing to.</p><p>            It was a mermaid, clearly exhausted. She had a red tail and a suit of armor over her upper body, and her blue eyes filled with alarm. She was panting as she looked at Musa.</p><p>            "Dame Chen?" Musa asked, while Layla turned the mermaid on her side so that she could rest in a more comfortable position. "What's going on?"</p><p>            "Yeah, what's happening?" a voice called. Flora turned and saw Stella running towards them, her orange bikini bright against her skin. "What's going o" – She stopped as she saw Chen lying in the wet sand. "You poor thing! What happened? Are you alright?"</p><p>            "I was sent to find you, Musa," Chen panted, ignoring Stella. "Harmonia's in trouble. I was told that you need to stay here, that" –</p><p>            "What?" Musa's voice shook with shock, and Flora knew that she was barely containing her emotions. "Why didn't I receive a text from someone?"</p><p>            "The entire Realm Wide Web is down," Chen explained. "They said that some portal was opened, and that it blasted a whole set of neural networks in the Harmonian region. You must stay here, though. That's why they told me to come and" –</p><p>            "I'm coming," Musa interrupted. "Don't even try to stop me. If Dad's in trouble, I need to help him. I need to" –</p><p>            "You're needed to guard the princess!" Chen protested. "Her Royal Highness is being sent to Magix for her safety. You need to be here to make sure she's all right" –</p><p>            "Princess Galatea?" Musa gasped.</p><p>            Flora recalled that Galatea was Musa's first cousin, as Musa's father, Hoe-Boe, had formerly been the crown prince of Melody. He'd given up his title in order to marry Matlin, a commoner who played rock music. At the time, rock had been a very shocking style to the conservative nobility of Melody, and they'd looked down upon it as Earthian-influenced music, music that they saw as primitive. Hoe-Boe and Matlin's albums had proved very popular amongst the common people, and were slowly starting to gain traction in other realms as well. Hoe-Boe's brother, King Jun, was the father of Princess Galatea, who would inherit Melody's throne one day.</p><p>            "Yes," said Chen, urgently. "You need to stay here. This means no vacation plans as of now. I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay put."</p><p>            "Okay," Musa nodded.</p><p>            "I'll stay with you," Layla said. "The pixies will keep us entertained. Princess Galatea's parents have a hotel room booked, right?"</p><p>            "Yeah, probably," agreed Musa. She turned towards Chen. "What exactly is happening in Melody?"</p><p>            "The portal to Omega has been broken open," Chen said urgently. "We believe that a breakout has occurred. Melodian authorities are trying their hardest to contain it, as well as minimize civilian damage, but we do not know what the situation is as of now. And no one knows why or how it happened."</p><p>            "Oh, no," gasped Musa. "That… that's horrible. What are we going to do?"</p><p>            “Just stay put,” Chen said. "We're doing our absolute best to have the situation under control."</p><p>            "Thanks, Dame Chen," said Musa. "You'd better get back into the sea."</p><p>            "Yes," gasped Chen, and Flora recalled that, while merpeople's gills lasted longer in air than fairy lungs did in water, it was always better for them to be under the surface. "Catch… you… lat"… She dove under the sea and turned around.</p><p>            "What are we going to do now?" Musa asked worriedly.</p><p>            "We have to go home," Bloom said. "All of us have flights booked back home, and we can't stay. But tell us how things are going, Musa. Update us now and then."</p><p>            "Yeah," agreed Stella. "And they'd better find whoever it is who broke out."</p><p>            "I sure hope so," agreed Flora. Fighting interrealm criminals was not high on her priority list. <em>I just need to make sure Mirta is okay. She's been through too much stress already.</em> She gazed at Mirta, who had a worried look in her eyes.</p><p>            "Come on," Flora said, putting her arm around Mirta. "The plane departs in three hours. We have to be at the spaceport." <em>Come, let's get you home.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just a few things:<br/>	This story is being posted on AO3, Quotev, and Wattpad. I am posting on three places at once, so please do not report me for plagiarism. This is so that different people from different sites get a chance to read this story, and so that I can build a group of interested readers.<br/>	I grew up with the 4Kids dub, though I am fairly well-versed with the Cinélume version. The dialects of any original Winx Club characters will be 4Kids-inspired. The names, however, will mostly be the original Cinélume names. 4Kids doesn't win many awards for creativity, certainly not when they changed 'Andros' to 'Tides' and 'Miele' to 'Rose'. I mean, really? Rose? We really can't tell she's Flora's sister. *rant over* Anyhow, that's how it's going to work.<br/>	Updates will likely be on Sundays. If anything changes, I will let you know. Often, I forget to update on Sundays, but if that happens, I’ll post during the week.</p><p>Thank you very much! I hope to see people in the comments’ section!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. To Zenith</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>            Long ago, Zenith used to be a peaceful realm, filled with life and happiness. The people thrived in their innovations, and took pride in their kings and royalty. Although their realm certainly wasn’t perfect, they had confidence that they were headed to a bright future.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>            But that all changed in the Age of Blood. In 16002, a few months before the start of the Fifth Dimensional War, Zenithian peasants staged a violent coup on King Nikolai, the last monarch of Zenith. The people could only watch helplessly as their government changed, right before their eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>            Centuries of dictatorship followed. The communist dictators all pledged to end disparity between social classes, only ended up making the situation worse. They destroyed freedom of the press, banned anything related to capitalism, and put thousands of people in concentration camps. Everyone knew better than to fight back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>            Zenith is communist no more. However, the dictatorship still lives on, well-alive in the hands of Premier Medea…</em>
</p><p>            Tecna woke up with a jolt. Her breath came out in sharp gasps, and she stared at the ground, terrified of what had just gone through her head.</p><p>            <em>What was I thinking? </em>Saying such things were grounds for arrest in Zenith – even <em>thinking </em>it was a crime. The textbook from History of the Realms was still fresh in her mind. <em>If I said something in my sleep aloud…</em></p><p>            She glanced anxiously around the spacecraft. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed; everyone else was sitting silently in their seats, a dull, glazed look in their eyes. It was the look Zenithians always possessed, what they’d been programmed to do. <em>And how I should behave, too.</em></p><p>            Around her was total silence. Tecna had no one for company, not even Digit, the pixie who had always brought life and chatter to her day. And for a long time, she would’ve preferred it this way; solitude was the state she preferred, the state she’d been programmed for.</p><p>            Until two years ago. The Winx, her closest friends in the world, had taught her how to feel, how to do something other than work and still find fulfillment. And Digit had been one of the best friends she could have asked for.</p><p>            But then she’d got that fateful call that morning, the one commanding her to return to Zenith early. It meant she couldn’t enjoy vacation like her friends, couldn’t go to Stella’s Princess Ball at all. Family always came first. And so did Mr. Vasiliev’s work.</p><p>            APPROACHING REALM OF ZENITH, the words flashed across her vision. TEMPERATURE 10.6 DEGREES CENTIGRADE BELOW ZERO.</p><p>            She reached the Zenith Interrealm Spaceport, in the province of Elektrichestvo. It was this planet where electricity had been first harnessed as a source for technology. Of course all people across all realms had known about electricity before; Fulgur, the realm of weather, predominantly ran off of electrical, hydroelectric, and turbine power. But it was Zenith where the Realm Wide Web had been invented, and later the Winx Wide Web and Witch Wide Web, respectively, for fairy-beings and warlocks. It was one of the reasons why Unified Zenithian was the third-most spoken language across the realms, second only to the Common Tongue and Magixian.</p><p>            She climbed into a driverless taxi and sped down the road. The Zenithian Fortress was to her left, a formidable mass of black steel, surrounded by robots and drones. It was there that Premier Medea resided.</p><p>            The taxi continued down the road, through the capital city of Kremniy. They were in the Upper District of the city, with beautiful, gleaming buildings. Only the wealthy and middle-class could afford housing here, of course – the Lower District was for the poor people. They lived in buildings that were made of <em>wood</em>, or at best, <em>brick</em>, materials that were known to be primitive. In the Upper District, every house was made out of steel, and personal robots (as well as a few lucky Lower District people) polished the houses from dusk to dawn.</p><p>            Tecna had always pitied the people of the Lower District. Although Zenith was a very strong industrial nation, its poverty was infamous across all realms. But there wasn’t much she could do. Speaking out against the government was forbidden, and often a death sentence.</p><p>            The taxi rolled to a stop at Tecna’s house. It was a large mansion, with immense towers of steel and completely polished glass windows. The façade, as with all Zenithian buildings, was black; no color variation was allowed in any Zenithian house. From her history books at Alfea, she’d heard that the regime had once tried to control hair-colors, too. However, pink, purple, and blue were natural hair colors, and it was impossible for any regime to forcibly distribute black hair-dye, not in a realm that numbered nearly twelve million in population.</p><p>            Arriving home should’ve brought Tecna a sense of solace. And in fact, it almost did. There was a time when coming home brought her a sense of security and relief, as a home should. <em>But then I went to Alfea…</em></p><p>            “There you are,” a man barked. Tecna looked up and saw her father, speaking harshly in the language of Unified Zenithian. Tecna bowed to him and climbed up the steps to greet him.</p><p>            Her father was a man of few words. A pioneer in the field of electrical-engineering, he was a hard worker. However, this also meant that he pushed Tecna to aspire to the same. His austere face was enough to force her to complete whatever task was required of her.</p><p>            Since birth, it had been drilled into her head: <em>work hard. Get top grades, apply for a high-ranking school, and above all, never stop working. </em>She had learned her first computer programing language when she was four, and now knew all of the major languages, as well as how to hack into any site or get any computer to start working again. A feat that would’ve sounded impressive, if not for the fact that most of the kids she’d grown up with knew how to do it, too.</p><p>            She couldn’t understand why her friends found her technological literacy so impressive. Sure, she knew how to program, but so did nearly every family she’d interacted with at home. Any child born in a middle- or upper-class family in Kremniy was expected to learn computer programming. After all, it was the future in Zenith; much of its economy ran on it. The children competed to get into the best private schools, and from there, to the best universities. In those select universities, only the most erudite were chosen to work for the royal service – the highest honor any student could hope for.</p><p>            “Come on inside,” another harsh voice called, this time female. A tall woman with straight purple hair was standing in the doorway, a disapproving expression on her face. “Your luggage just arrived here.”</p><p>            <em>Of course</em>, thought Tecna. <em>High efficiency. </em>It always disoriented her, upon arrival in Zenith, how fast everything moved. She was used to the annoyingly slow pace back on Magix, where there were no advanced algorithms.</p><p>            “I had the drones scan and unpack your things. I don’t know where you bought those clothes from, but I do <em>not </em>want to see you wearing them! I don’t know how you think it’s acceptable to go around half-naked. Do you hear me?”</p><p>            Tecna’s cheeks flamed. <em>Why didn’t I just leave them back in my suite? </em>She would never have bought those clothes on her own, had it not been for months and months of Stella’s nagging, and the fact that they simply looked chic. Only after Stella told her they would make her more attractive to Timmy had she finally caved and bought herself a purple crop-top and tight black pants. And she <em>had </em>become more attractive to Timmy, but not because of the clothes. No, it was because they had bonded over their trip to the Resort Realm.</p><p>            <em>Oh Timmy, where are you now? </em>Tecna thought, squeezing her eyes shut. The Magixian boy had wanted to spend time with her over the summer, and have her over at his place. Tecna, already knowing what her parents would say, had declined.</p><p>            “Do you hear me?” Tecna’s mother repeated.</p><p>            Tecna shook herself out of her reverie and looked up at her mother. “Yes, Mother,” she said. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”</p><p>            “Good,” her mother said, giving her another hard look. “Now, go to the laboratory. Mr. Vasiliev has some work for you, and you need to complete it by tonight.”</p><p>            “Yes, Mother,” Tecna said automatically, and then walked down the hallway. “Goodbye.” She headed out the back door, and then into the yard. Finding a robotic car, she climbed in, quickly selecting the location of the lab and letting it take her there.</p><p>            As the car zoomed down the road, she thought about all of the rules she had broken in her past two years at Alfea. She had done so many stupid, immature, and downright illogical things. She’d interacted with so many girls, girls who spoke so freely without any fear of repercussions. Tecna couldn’t imagine talking to or about her parents like that. Shockingly, she’d made a group of friends, even though her parents had warned against making friends. But worst of all, she’d gotten a boyfriend, who happened to be the love of her life.</p><p>            <em>I shouldn’t like him</em>, she thought, waves of guilt washing over her. After all, marriage in Zenith wasn’t based off of <em>love</em> – the very idea sounded ridiculous to her. Her parents’ marriage had been arranged based off of their wealth, and only after both of them had completed college. It had seemed absurd that anyone could marry just because they liked someone – at least, until last year.</p><p>            Now all Tecna wanted to do was to be with Timmy. To have his arms around hers, to play video games with him and Digit, to spend time tucked up under a cover with him and watch a movie. Just the simplest things sounded so appealing – and yet, she knew it wasn’t possible.</p><p>            <em>Now I know why my parents didn’t want me to go to Alfea. </em>Though they’d been happy that she’d gotten admission, they’d been hesitant to send her, on the fear that their daughter would be susceptible to “unbecoming influences”. It had only been when the Alfea Recruitment agent had visited their house, persuading them that Tecna was qualified for it, that they’d acquiesced and let her go, on one condition: no boys. And she’d kept with that condition – at least, until last year.</p><p>            <em>I can’t think about him</em>, Tecna reminded herself. <em>I have work to do. I can’t keep thinking about him.</em></p><p>            She reached the laboratory’s gate. It was Igor Vasiliev’s laboratory, and she worked there. Mr. Vasiliev was working on a top-secret project that even Tecna didn’t know about. Tecna had been selected as one of the programming staff, and she’d been working there since she was nine. Her main job was to oversee the computers’ statistical scans and make sure that they were doing their job. Her father said that it was good life experience for when she graduated Alfea and came back to Zenith for graduate school. Not to mention, it would raise her status immensely as well.</p><p>            She grimaced, thinking of all the tasks she’d have to do in the lab – all of which didn’t involve Timmy or her friends. <em>I wish I could go with them and get some pizza… </em>But that was completely out of the question.</p><p>            <em>Stop it</em>, she forbade herself. <em>Why am I thinking such things? </em>She needed to banish such thoughts out of her brain. She was here to <em>work</em>, and nothing else.</p><p>            “What’s the four-digit passcode?” a voice above her head said.</p><p>            Tecna blinked, then remembered. “2048,” she said. The gates opened, and she walked inside.</p><p>            To enter the lab, she had to send a ray of her magical energy into the sensor. The sensor was able to catalog the magnitude of each fairy’s power, and as each fairy was different, it was a good way to keep track of who was who. There was also a facial recognition scan, which she passed easily, then entered the building.</p><p>            The interior was shiny and metallic. It was a huge laboratory, triple the size of Alfea. There was internal transportation to different sections of the lab, where different people worked. Tecna was about to get onto the transport, when an android walked up to her.</p><p>            “Anastasia Ivanova,” it said in a monotone, emotionless voice, similar to the voice that she was often accused of speaking with. For a moment, Tecna didn’t respond, then she remembered. <em>Anastasia. </em>It was her proper, legal name, although not the name she’d applied to Alfea with. <em>I’m Anastasia again. </em>She swallowed as the robot continued speaking. “I have been sent to perform the routine medical checkup and make sure your internal software is working.”</p><p>            <em>Oh right. </em>“Thanks, Sammy,” Tecna said. She’d named all of the robots when she was twelve, not that they knew, of course.</p><p>            “Follow me,” Sammy said, and she followed the android to a medical room with computer screens on all four walls. They glinted back, reflecting her figure in their black, mirror-like form.</p><p>            “I need you to undress,” Sammy said. The door dead-bolted, and she added, “I have locked the door for extra privacy.”</p><p>            Tecna stifled a laugh. <em>There’s nothing private about this place. </em>Nevertheless, she stripped off her layers one by one, until she was standing completely naked, gazing down at her right side.</p><p>            On the left side of her body, she looked completely normal. Her leg and arm was made out of flesh, and so was her head and neck. She was very white, particularly because she spent much of her time indoors, but other than that, there was nothing abnormal about her.</p><p>            But there was a line exactly down the half of her body. Her spinal cord was made of metal, and so was her right arm and leg. Her brain was also enhanced with neural networks, and she had an actual computer inside of there, one that could scan and record activities at an inhuman rate.</p><p>            When she was eight, she had been in a hover accident. The details were hazy, and she couldn’t recall much of her life before then. All she knew was that after the accident, she was a cyborg. The car had flipped on its right side, which was why she was more disproportionately affected there. She’d lost her leg, her arm, severed her spine, and damaged her brain. Which was why she’d had to have the surgery, a surgery that replaced much of her body and, essentially, made her into a robot.</p><p>            Being a cyborg was a source of shame in Zenith. It gave her the emotion of a person and the abilities of a robot, which was helpful most of the time. But there was also lingering resentment against cyborgs, particularly since they were more easily able to perform motor tasks than regular people. As a result, many pointed out that it was unfair that a person should be able to advance farther in the work sector, just because she had an ability that was naturally enhanced.</p><p>            Tecna could understand why many people felt like this. But what they didn’t realize was that much of what she’d learned wasn’t innate ability. It had come through laborious years of practice and hard work.</p><p>            <em>And yet, I’m still not good enough</em>, she thought sadly. <em>I still keep on screwing up. </em>She had always prided herself on her calculations, her ability to deduce and decide through reason and logic. And yet, she’d made some very poor decisions last year. She’d mistakenly identified Avalon as the Angel of Doom (even though he <em>had</em> turned out to be a traitor) and her mistake had caused the Trix to get the Codex in Cloud Tower.</p><p>            <em>I caused so many mistakes last year, and it’s all because I kept losing control. I kept on thinking about Timmy, when I should have been thinking about my duty, my duty to my friends and my school. </em>She clenched her fist.</p><p>            <em>No more. I cannot allow myself to slip up. I cannot keep on making mistakes. Timmy’s going to have to take the backseat for now. </em>The thought sent a wave of sadness through her, but she ignored it, continuing to gaze up at the screen.</p><p>            The screens around her scanned every part of her body. The android walked to the main computer and connected herself to it, no doubt synthesizing the information. Tecna could feel the transfer of energy between the several computers, and the main computer to the android. Finally, Sammy disconnected herself, printing out a slip of paper. She handed it to Tecna.</p><p>            Tecna looked down at the paper. A green check-mark was next to everything. <em>Good. </em>The android handed her clothes back.</p><p>            “Let me know when you want the doors to be opened,” she said.</p><p>            Tecna gazed down at the covering she used to disguise her arm and leg. It was a fleshy cover, and felt like regular skin at touch; however, it was illegal to wear one in Zenith. <em>We have to be labeled at all times… </em>It <em>was </em>legal to wear one in Magix, though, and she’d never taken it off once in her stay at Alfea.</p><p>            There was a reason why she barely hugged any of her friends, and it all came down to one word: <em>cyborg. </em>Although the flesh-covering was extremely good, there was always the chance that it might slip, revealing her for who she was. That, and the fact that hugs were an alien concept in her household, except for the occasional one-arm squeeze on birthdays. She wasn’t all that comfortable with people touching her.</p><p>            “Have a nice day,” Sammy chirped as she finished dressing, walking out of the door.</p><p>            Tecna gazed at the screen ahead of her. It was filled with the usual propaganda, all stories about Zenith’s glory and strength. All of this she was used to; it was very common to see in Zenith. However, there was something she saw on the screen she hadn’t seen before: a sign that read TALKS WITH LINPHEA.</p><p>            Tecna halted. <em>What’s going on?</em> Why was Zenith talking to Linphea?</p><p>            She closed her eyes and focused on her internal brain wiring. Her computer connected to the Web, and she focused her eyes.</p><p>            <em>Linphea</em>, she commanded the computer to look up.</p><p>            Immediately, information popped up on her screen. Zenith’s Web was, unfortunately, very censored, and she wished she’d found the information in Magix. <em>But I didn’t know… </em>She sighed and chose an article online.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Talks with Linphea largely successful, Zenith emerges victorious</em>
</p><p> </p><p>            Tecna knew enough to know that this headline article was crap. Zenith had never had good relations with Linphea; Linphea had been a Zenithian colony, after all. Even after Zenith had backed off, it had never stopped trying to exert its control. None of the other members of the UR would do anything about it, for they feared Zenith just as much as everyone else.</p><p>            Nevertheless, Tecna scanned through the article, trying to find the information she desired.</p><p> </p><p>            <em>On 8 Trimensis 1012, Her Magnificence, the Great Premier Medea Alexandrova spoke with Queen Rachel of Linphea. Their talk was largely successful, with Linphea agreeing to eliminate its tariffs on produce.</em></p><p>
  <em>            “I believe we can look towards a bright future,” said Mr. Aranov, spokesman for Premier Alexandrova.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>            Since her ascent as head of state in 937, Premier Alexandrova has done nothing but good for the Zenithian people. She has given grants to workers, stabilized the economy, and stood up for Zenith’s prestige in the world. She has also tackled the Linphean issue head-on, stopping the greedy Linphean farmers from charging exorbitantly high rates for their fresh produce.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>            As for the Premier herself, she has some words of wisdom for her citizens.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>            “Don’t worry about anything,” she says. “Our economy is safe, and in good hands. We, the Zenithians, are taking back the glory we once had as Emperors of the Magical Dimension, and we will soon be victorious once more. In the meantime, everyone keep doing your work for the good of your Motherland!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>            All hail the Great Premier! May she rule for a thousand years!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>            The last two sentences were printed in every news article. She swallowed hard, wondering what was going on.</p><p>            <em>Maybe I can contact Flora and find if she has any information. </em>If she had the time, that was. A transport machine zoomed up to her, and she heard the automated voice: “Where do you want to go?”</p><p>            “Programming wing,” Tecna said automatically, sitting in the cable car. She zoomed down the alley, until, after a few minutes, she’d reached the wing she was looking for.</p><p>            A robot greeted her, by the name of Mischa. At least, that was what Tecna called him – not that the android had any concept of gender, of course. He nodded to her and escorted her down to the wing.</p><p>            “Good day, Anastasia,” he said. “I have some work for you.” He pointed to the screen. “Log on.”</p><p>            Tecna picked a cable out of the drawer and motioned for the robot to hold it. “Plug this into my control panel,” she ordered. The robot lifted her shirt, reached her electrical sockets in her back, and plugged the cord in.</p><p>            Tecna gasped at the familiar jolt of electricity running through her back. <em>I’m connected to the computer now… </em>The computer’s feed popped up in her brain almost instantly, prompting her to log in.</p><p>            She never did this at Alfea; after all, people would notice if she had an electric cord sticking out of her back. But here, at Zenith, it made her jobs a whole lot easier. She was able to connect wholly into the computer, coding directly from her brain. She logged in, and instantly gasped.</p><p>            REPROGRAM BIOTECH ROBOTS, the feed flashed across her brain. REROUTE WIRELESS IN COMPUTER 3459. REPAIR SET 67395505.</p><p>            “Mr. Vasiliev expects you to be done by tonight,” Mischa stated, and then left.</p><p>            Tecna sighed. If she ever lagged behind on a task, Mr. Vasiliev would punish her and have her stay on task. It had only happened a few times, but those times were unpleasant enough for Tecna to know that failure was not an option.</p><p>            <em>I’d just better get started</em>, she thought. <em>And make sure I do my job. </em>Sighing, she sat down and began to work.</p><p>            Her fingers clicked the keyboard as she fixed algorithms, changing different sequences. Panting, she typed as fast as she could, trying to get to the next task.</p><p>            <em>I have to finish this. </em>She remembered the times when she had been on a mission for Alfea, and rerouted the spacecraft’s computers with Timmy. <em>Timmy… </em>That adorable cubby face, those tender eyes…</p><p>            <em>Stop it</em>, she scolded herself. <em>Not now. I </em>can’t <em>think about him now. </em>Her fingers wobbled as she continued to type, one sequence after the other.</p><p>            <em>This is all there is now…</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Linphean New Year</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            The land was beginning to be reborn. Trees were just beginning to bud, and a hint of green was in the grass. The air was cold, but alive with the first tang of spring.</p><p>            "Here we are!" Flora exclaimed, climbing down from the convoy and giving Mirta a hand. "Isn't it beautiful?"</p><p>            "It is," said Mirta in wonder, gazing around. "I love it."</p><p>            The sight of Linphea at first glance never failed to amaze Flora. The early spring was her favorite season<strong>;</strong> everything was just beginning to come alive. It reinvigorated her powers, making her feel more awake than ever before.</p><p>            Alfea, Cloud Tower, and Red Fountain always let out at the end of Trimensis, the third month of the year as according to the United Realms’ Calendar. In most realms, the third month of the year was spring.</p><p>            According to the United Realms’ Calendar, the Linphean spring also came in the third month of the year. However, local people used the Linphean calendar, where spring came in the first month. Right now, it was the last month of the year, the month of the fast. Other realms also had seasonal disparities with Magix. She knew that it was also summer on Earth, Bloom’s home realm; in Stella’s and Layla’s realms, Solaria and Andros respectively, it was always summer. In Tecna’s realm, Zenith, the opposite was true; it was always winter.</p><p>            <em>I can't wait to be home</em>, thought Flora. She couldn't wait to introduce her girlfriend to her village, to teach her their traditions, to see her family friends. A new adventure was in their grasp…</p><p>            "How far is your house?" panted Mirta.</p><p>            "Just down the street," Flora said. She looked at Mirta with concern. "You're not tired already, are you?"</p><p>            "Just a little," gasped Mirta. "I – should – be – fi" – Her words ended as her knees gave way on the grass, and she collapsed.</p><p>            "Let's get you a transport," Flora said. She whistled for one, and a flying ladybug, the size of a van, landed next to them.</p><p>            Flora helped Mirta to her feet. "Look," she said, gently pointing her girlfriend forward. Mirta looked up, and her eyes widened.</p><p>            "That's a giant" – she gasped.</p><p>            "Ladybug," Flora finished for her, grinning. "Don't worry, they're really friendly – most creatures here are, honestly. Come on, get on and it'll take us home."</p><p>            Shakily, Mirta pulled herself onto its back, and Flora climbed in the front. "Head east, in the direction of <em>Bosque Iztel</em>," she said in Linphean, pointing to the dark forest ahead of them. "We need to go to the village of Iris. And please be slow; we have a tired passenger."</p><p>            The giant animal rose into the air and began to head in the direction opposite of the setting sun. Mirta clung tight to Flora's back, though there really was nothing to be scared of; Flora had never known of anyone that had fallen off a ladybug's back.</p><p>            "Sorry for being such a pain," Mirta gasped.</p><p>            "Don't worry about it," Flora responded. "You're just tired from everything that's been going on. I think this trip will be perfect for you."</p><p>            "This place is beautiful, though," Mirta said, gazing around. The aerial view made the terrain stand out even more, an earthy land that spring was just starting to kiss. "You live in such an amazing realm."</p><p>            "Thanks," Flora smiled. "I knew you'd love it."</p><p>            She gazed down at the landscape. She was the only one of the Winx girls that didn't live in a city. Stella, Layla, and Tecna all lived in the capital cities of their respective worlds, and Bloom and Musa lived in small coastal cities. But Flora's family lived right in the heart of nature. It made sense; after all, her mother was a priestess, and it was her job to tend to the natural world around her.</p><p>            Her family was also fairly poor. They didn't own a very large house, and they didn't make much money, as her mother was a priestess and her father was her assistant. Her extended family on her mother's side lived with them, including her grandmother and great-grandmother. Linphean families were matrilineal, meaning that a woman always welcomed her husband into her family, not the other way around. However, her great-grandmother would soon be departing to the City of Trees, where she worked.</p><p>            After a few additional directions from Flora, the ladybug landed in front of their house. Her parents immediately came out of the house, tailed by Flora's little sister, Miele.</p><p>            Flora's father, Rodrigo Fernández, had a lively twinkle in his eyes, the same twinkle that Miele always carried. He was a short man with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes, and skin notably paler than Flora's. He was always good-natured and outgoing, and had a loud voice. Flora, however, took more after her mother in both looks and personality. Sacniete Fernández, named after the white Linphean valley flower, had the same honey-brown hair, brown skin, and forest-green eyes as Floras. She was also much more reserved and serious, and was a thinker, as expected by a member of the priesthood. Though she never raised her voice, she was the authority of the house, as were most Linphean mothers in their households.</p><p>            "It's good to see you," Flora's mother said warmly to Mirta. "I'm so glad to see that Flora's finally put herself out there and let herself find a special someone. She wouldn't settle for just anyone, so you must be special indeed." Mirta's cheeks went bright pink.</p><p>            "Welcome to our family," Flora's father agreed, shaking Mirta's hand. "I'll assist you up the stairs." He half-dragged, half-carried Mirta into the house.</p><p>            Flora followed, wanting to make sure her girlfriend was in safe hands. But before she could enter, she was met with a wide hug.</p><p>            "<em>Abuela</em>," she gasped, fighting to breathe as she stared down.</p><p>            Rosada Fernández beamed up at her. Her skin was light brown and she had silvery hair that reached past her shoulders. She was three-hundred years old, her mother's mother. She was wearing a white robe, the attire of a priestess, and was smiling wide.</p><p>            "My <em>florita</em>," she said. "How good to see you." Her green eyes became wide and teasing. "I hear that you have a special someone?"</p><p>            "Er… yes," said Flora, trying to get past her. "I'll catch up with you later, I've got to" –</p><p>            "Don't worry," <em>Abuela</em> Sacniete laughed. "Your girl is fine. Your mother is taking care of her." Her eyes twinkled. "You don't need to be so" –</p><p>            "Impatient and hasty?" a voice interrupted. Iztel Fernández, Flora's ever-cranky great-grandmother, walked up to them. She was shorter than her great-granddaughter, and was also dressed in a white robe. Her white hair was in a staunch bun, and she walked with a cane and a hunched back. Despite that, she was very alert, and quite sharp as well.</p><p>            "Watch your step coming into the house," she chided Flora. "I don't know what they teach in that school over there. The graceless manner of rushing out and going to defeat every single villain that ever existed? I've always said that you need to become a priestess, young 'un. We learn something <em>useful</em>, something that doesn't involve beating people down."</p><p>            "They learn how to defend the Magical Dimension at Alfea," <em>Abuela</em> Rosada reminded her mother. "A very valuable skill, if you ask me. The school is run by the most-skilled fairies in the realms."</p><p>            "And by the corporate power of the United Realms," <em>Bisabuela</em> snorted. "I'd sooner trust a Venus fly-trap to not eat my finger than those tycoons. They might as well make a united government and sell all of our civil liberties, that's what they should do. We'd be subservient to the great powers of Magix and Zenith." She shook her head. "No, I was against it from the start. Learning profound magical ability takes <em>time</em>, and is not something that happens overnight."</p><p>            "We learn so many things at Alfea," Flora protested. "We learn how to defend ourselves, form great friendships, save the world" –</p><p>            "Ha!" <em>Bisabuela </em>snorted. "All warriors ever do is cause misery! Zenith has invaded Linphea so many times, not even historians can remember. Now, <em>Linphean </em>warriors are honorable; they know not to conquer and maraud. But you are born into a good priestly family, girl, and you should not be a Linphean warrior, much less a UR one! The United Realms is the worst organization ever created – all they ever do is dominate us lesser realms so Magix and Zenith can always be at the top"…</p><p>            Flora restrained a groan; <em>Bisabuela </em>never lost an opportunity to rant about the UR. Founded after the Fifth Dimensional War, it'd spurred a new age, the Age of Unity. Not all the realms of the Magical Dimension were in the UR; however, for the thirteen member states, it had been instrumental in averting crises and wars. Unfortunately, it also meant that realms such as Linphea were subservient to more powerful nations.</p><p>            "Mamá, please do try to tone it down," <em>Abuela </em>protested gently. "Flora's guest is likely sound asleep now; we do not want to wake her."</p><p>            "Oh yes, I forgot," <em>Bisabuela </em>muttered. "At least you have the sense not to spurn warlocks for who they are. The UR is made by fairies and for fairies only – another reason why I spit on it. It's just one of their ridiculous moves to gain more power for themselves"…</p><p>            "Speaking of Mirta, I think it's best I go check on her," Flora said quickly. "She's had a rough day."</p><p>            She escaped quickly. From behind she heard <em>Bisabuela </em>grumble, "Now why are youth so impatient these days?"</p><p>            Flora sped through the tiny cottage to her room. Two twin beds were in the room: one was Flora's, and the other was one from their tiny guest bedroom. Mirta lay on the other bed, her eyelids fluttering sleepily. A teapot and two cups were on Flora's nightstand.</p><p>            "Your room is beautiful," said Mirta, lifting her head; Flora followed her gaze. A potted <em>florita de iris </em>was on the windowsill, shining all of the colors of the rainbow. It was Flora's favorite flower, and had been since she was little. That was the only decoration in the room; after all, priestly families were supposed to live very ingenuous, frugal lives. And yet, the simplicity made it sweeter than a room in a royal palace.</p><p>            "I'm so ready to fall asleep," Mirta yawned. "The air coming from that window is so nice and" – She immediately broke off, snoring like a baby.</p><p>            Flora walked up to her, spreading the comforter around her shoulders. She kissed Mirta's forehead and then went to her own bed. There was no sound, except for the chirp of the birds and Mirta's sound snoring.</p><p>            "Sweet dreams, Mirta," Flora said softly.</p><p>***</p><p>            That following week, Flora took her out every day to walk around the countryside. Mirta turned out to be an excellent artist, and sketched pictures of birds and plants that she saw. The <em>Bosque Iztel </em>was also a good place to explore, and they always found something there.</p><p>            Flora had always been the outdoorsy type, as were most of the people she knew. She’d spent her entire childhood exploring this forest, observing the birds and flowers. But she had never gone out with a friend. At most, she had gone with her little sister Miele, but she was only ten years old, and therefore wasn't allowed to go out too far on her own.</p><p>            But now she had someone to share it with. And that made it all the more fun, a warm spark to Flora's normal leisurely days.</p><p>            Her girlfriend greatly enjoyed the food of Linphea. There were fresh vegetables and fruits in every meal, fresh Linphean bread, and plenty of delicacies that Mirta came to love. It was the last month of the year, in which Linpheans fasted from dawn to dusk; Flora had observed the fast while at Alfea. However, Miele was a child, and wouldn’t observe the fast until puberty; Flora’s grandmother cooked for Mirta along with Miele, too. Mirta had said she would observe the fast, but Abuela refused, telling her that after she’d gone through such a harrowing transformation, it was safe for her to eat properly.</p><p>            Mirta became close with Miele. In fact, she became a favorite with all the little ones, telling them stories of her adventures in Magix. To the children, her status as a biological witch was irrelevant; all they cared was that she was kind and told them stories. She treated them with the love of an older sister.</p><p>            However, that didn't mean things were perfect. Many of the older Linpheans, more conservative, distrusted her. A few flat-out avoided her. The first week of their vacation, no one had dared say anything against Mirta, for everyone feared Bisabuela. But the Saturday after they came home, she departed for the City of Trees, despite her daughter's protests that she retire and stay in Iris. And once she left, there was no one to hold the villagers back.</p><p>            Flora tried to shield Mirta from the gossip. But Linphean villages bred very strong gossip vines, and Mirta soon heard what the villagers had to say.</p><p>            "I don't get it," she said one afternoon, when they were in Flora's room. "I thought Linpheans were the kindest people in the realms."</p><p>            "No realm can be perfect," said Flora, frowning at Mirta. Her girlfriend sounded unusually somber; she hadn't been this way since her transition. "Are you unhappy here?"</p><p>            "No!" Mirta exclaimed. "Your family has been so unbelievably kind to me, and so many of the villagers are so nice! It's just – the ones that aren't make life difficult." She looked unhappily at her feet.</p><p>            "Peace, <em>niñita</em>," said Abuela, entering the room. "I know it's hard to see, but Linphea is changing. With the rise of the Realm Wide Web, people are starting to change their perceptions. But history's roots run deep – you see, there's a rather ugly reason why people here don't trust warlocks."</p><p>            "Why?" Mirta asked.</p><p>            "Before the Age of Discovery, Linphea only comprised of fairy-beings," Abuela explained. "In Year 1 of that Age, when Prince Josef of Zenith flew in the first-ever successful space voyage, he discovered Linphea. The Age of Discovery, as you know, was the time when all realms were discovering space flight. Linphea was – and still is – very tribal and rural; compared to the giant of Zenith, it was vastly underdeveloped.</p><p>            "The other realms took advantage of our lack of production. They sealed unfair trade-agreements with us, and started skirmishes in our realm. Many warlocks came here and preached their religions to us; when we refused to follow them, they attacked. Yet, they were unable to subjugate us. For the trees in our realm have a mind of their own, and they protected us from harm."</p><p>            "Your <em>trees </em>protected you?" Mirta asked in amazement.</p><p>            "Yes," Flora smiled. "When provoked, the trees here <em>move</em>, Mirta. They can trap foreigners in cages and slash their branches at people. But even the trees cannot stop foreigners from settling here if they wish."</p><p>            "So the warlock missionaries settled here," Mirta answered. "And all the warlocks who still live in Linphea are descendants of those missionaries."</p><p>            "Correct," Abuela nodded. "Now fast-forward to 730 of the Age of Blood. At that time, Zenith, along with Whisperia, Magix, and Domino, had grown into a fearsome empire. Linphea was still independent, but not for long. Zenith staged one of the bloodiest invasions in the history of the realms, the Linphean Invasion, killing a sixth of Linphea's population. The priestly families were attacked the most, as they were the largest group of intellectuals. When the trees rushed to defend us, their robots destroyed them, using some of the most advanced sorcery at the time. Fairy and warlock lords ruled both in colonial Linphea.</p><p>            "But it was the warlock lords who were feared the most. For centuries, these warlocks had faced subjugation in their native realm of Zenith. And now, when they had the chance to subjugate others, they took it with a vengeance. Such is our nature – when we face oppression, instead of trying to help those weaker than us, we take it out on them in an attempt to build ourselves up. And we could do nothing about it, for without our trees, we were completely powerless to fight back."</p><p>            "Wow," Mirta breathed. "How did Linphea gain independence?"</p><p>            "The Linphean Resistance Movement started," Abuela explained. "Paz Gonzales was their leader. She was a wise woman – instead of fighting the Zenithians with hate, she tripped them with love. The Resistance Movement was an entirely non-violent movement, an attempt to peacefully end colonial rule.”</p><p>            Flora had heard this story a hundred times, but somehow, hearing it with Mirta by her side made it even stronger. <em>Paz Gonzales was the champion for the weak and the dueler to the strong… </em>What Abuela had said about the oppressed becoming the oppressors had never happened to Gonzales.</p><p>            “Of course, the Zenithians weren’t about to let this movement continue. A great battle started, in which they massacred fifteen-hundred Resistance Warriors in the Valley of Shimmering Flowers. Gonzales was also murdered in that terrible battle.”</p><p>            <em>The Day of Bleeding Hearts</em>, thought Flora. That day marked the massacre, and always fell on the new moon in the middle of the fast; no Linphean partook of any food that day. She remembered that year’s Day of Bleeding Hearts, where she’d done the sacred rituals in her dorm room at Alfea, when Musa had slammed her door open and announced that Bloom had been captured by Darkar.</p><p>            "The Resistance Movement died after Gonzales' death, but by then, other realms were paying attention. The realms that were under Zenith's yoke began to rebel, and the realms that weren't part of the Zenithian Empire began to object to Zenith's appalling treatment of the Linphean people.</p><p>            "After Gonzales' death, her daughter, Ixazalvoh, rose to power. She learned of the secrets of natural restoration, a skill highly revered by priestesses and only achievable by few. With the help of her followers, she began the Restoration, a process in which they revived the trees and plants of this nation. Linpheans soon found their power-sources again, and the Zenithians finally ended their reign over Linphea.”</p><p>            Abuela finished her tale; Flora gazed over at Mirta. She looked completely, utterly stunned.</p><p>            "Wow," she whispered. "How is Linphea's relationship with Zenith now?"</p><p>            "Rocky," Abuela answered. "You see, Zenith has still been harassing us about trade. It is trying to make us enter unequal trade agreements. Linphea has been trying to stand firm on that issue, but we can't for so long."</p><p>            "Why not?" asked Mirta.</p><p>            "For one, we rely on Zenith for technological exports," Abuela explained. "However, Zenith relies on our agricultural produce, which is the reason why we're even having this trade war in the first place. Unfortunately, the nation that makes manufactured goods always gets to dictate the pace of trade, not the nation with the raw materials."</p><p>            "So why doesn't Linphea just industrialize more?" Mirta suggested. "If it's so far behind other nations, why can't it build itself up?"</p><p>            "It's not as simple as that," Abuela frowned. "It's all about a value system, Mirta. The people of Linphea are poor, but we're happy being poor. We'd rather be simple and content than complex and miserable. That, I believe, is the secret to true happiness."</p><p>***</p><p>            New Year’s Eve had arrived. A time of joy and rejuvenation, the villagers would join together for a feast at the temple, celebrating the end of the fast and the beginning of the spring. The full moon promised to be exceptionally beautiful that night.</p><p>            “You’re gonna be eighteen, Flora!” Miele squealed, running into her room and grabbing Flora in a giant hug.</p><p>            Flora smiled at her sister. It just so happened that tomorrow, Trimensis 20 (as according to the UR calendar) was her birthday. Her birthday usually came just before the New Year; due to the disparities between the Linphean lunar-calendar and the United Realms’ solar-calendar, it was not always the same. She was excited for the ceremony tonight.</p><p>            The entire day went by in preparations. While Flora’s mother went to the temple to setup, Mirta, Miele, and Papá went to the temple-gardens to prune them and guide the flowers into life. This left Flora and Abuela together, cooking their family’s portion of the feast for tonight.</p><p>            “My little <em>Florita </em>will be all grown-up,” Abuela laughed as she sautéed the <em>veduras oscuros</em>. “I still remember you from when you were a <em>bebita</em>. You were always so adventurous and carefree. There was the time when you climbed all the way to the top of a tree and fell, and a bird caught you just in time” –</p><p>            “Abuela,” Flora said, fighting waves of embarrassment. <em>Please don’t tell Mirta about that… </em>One of the disadvantages of living with her extended family was that there was no shortage of embarrassing stories about her childhood.</p><p>            “And now my <em>bebita </em>has fought all kinds of villains and monsters!” Abuela added proudly. “You defeated the Trix twice, and you defeated the Shadow Phoenix last year. Your bravery has made you into a true woman, <em>Florita</em>.”</p><p>            “Well, I hope there aren’t too many adventures next year,” Flora muttered. Melody had been stabilized in a week, and Galatea had been cleared to go back to her home. Still, not all the prisoners had been captured and sent back to Omega. The Melodian sages were trying to work on a way to close the portal, but they were struggling against its power. “Mirta needs time to relax.”</p><p>            “There will always be an adventure, Flora,” Abuela said solemnly. “As long as you are in a high position of power, there will always be something. And I trust that, whatever it is, both you <em>and </em>Mirta will find a way through.”</p><p>            They spent the next few hours chopping, peeling, and cooking. At eighteen o’clock, Mirta, Miele, and her father came back from the temple and called the three of them to bring the food. They showered, dressed, and headed out of the house.</p><p>            “You look beautiful,” Mirta breathed as they headed out of the house.</p><p>            Flora smiled at Mirta. Her girlfriend looked quite beautiful herself, wearing a traditional Linphean skirt and a flowing, open tunic that bared her midriff. The clothing was a golden-brown color made from tree bark and cotton, and she wore a simple necklace made with dark blue stones.</p><p>            “Come on,” she said, taking Mirta’s hand. “It’s almost dark.”</p><p>            It was only a short walk to the temple. The air was cool and pleasant, and the sun was approaching the horizon. Flora gazed around, marveling at how much greenery had sprung up in one week. They reached the temple and Mirta gasped.</p><p>            Flora gazed up at the temple in wonder; every year, it looked more beautiful than the last. Mirta, her father, and the other villagers had done an excellent job of maintaining the gardens. The first crocuses were up, brightening the exterior of the temple with color. A string of candles hung over the temple, along with evergreen wreaths, to symbolize the cold of winter. Above those, the creeping <em>flores de tierra</em> were in full bloom, to represent the arrival of spring. Their sweet smell wafted everywhere, and Flora breathed in the heavenly scent with the joy of new beginnings.</p><p>            <em>They make this so wonderful every year</em>, she thought. The villagers of Iris were very close-knit, and not without good reason. Most Irisians were descendants of the Air Tribe, a tribe that had existed in the Age of Antiquity and Age of Discovery. As their religions had expanded, different sects of <em>Linphèanidad</em> had popped up all around Linphea. There was <em>Cielidad</em>, which worshipped the sky goddess exclusively. There was <em>Vientidad</em>, which worshipped the wind goddess. And there was <em>Irisidad</em>, their religion, which worshipped the goddess of the rainbow.</p><p>            Flora put her arm around Mirta’s shoulder. She gazed up at the sun, which was just starting to set, coloring the horizon a beautiful orange. The sunlight glinted over the temple, making the flowers shine sweetly in the last light of day.</p><p>            “Greetings, citizens of Iris!”</p><p>            Flora looked up at the entrance of the temple. Her mother was standing at the top, wearing her priestly attire; a traditional, open white robe that extended to the floor. She wore a garland of flowers around her neck and the circumference of her head. She held a curved wooden staff in her right hand, made from the wood of the <em>árbol sabio</em>. Two other priestesses, Priestess Xoc and Priestess Colel, wore the same robe and garlands.</p><p>            The chatter immediately died down. Flora’s mother, as the priestess of their temple, was very well-respected and honored. Although the priestly caste was the highest caste, according to the old order, it was also the least numerous. In the many invasions of Linphea, priestly people had been targeted. Although the queens, members of the warrior-caste, were the official heads of their queendoms, it was the priestesses that posed the largest threat. Therefore, the population of priestesses across Linphea was greatly reduced; in the village of Iris, there were only three priestly families. Flora’s was one of them, as was Colel’s.</p><p>            “We gather today,” Flora’s mother said solemnly, “to celebrate a sacred day to our ancestors. A celebration of Linphea, as a nation, and our gods, who made this possible.”</p><p>            Flora gazed at Mirta. There were still tears on her cheeks, but she was gazing up at Flora’s mother curiously. She held Mirta’s hand as her mother continued to speak.</p><p>            “Tonight we end the fast that we have endured for so long,” she continued. “For one moon, we have endured the pain of our ancestors, which we have needed to grow stronger as people.”</p><p>            Flora gazed behind her. The sun was now just at the horizon. She turned forward, and saw Linphea’s moon, the <em>Luna de las Amantes</em>, rising in the air. It was a full moon today, therefore marking the end of the fast.</p><p>            “Today is a celebration of independence,” Priestess Sacniete added, “and a celebration of spring. It is the celebration of the Linphean spirit that lives within all of us, the spirit that never gives up.” For a moment, her eyes briefly rested on Mirta. “And now, let us honor our ancestors!”</p><p>            The sun had sunk into the horizon. A hush sounded across the crowd, and they observed a moment of silence for the battles of their ancestors. Three warrior-women stepped forward, heading towards the flagpole and raising the flag into the air. A rose-pink stripe on top, an olive-green on the bottom, with a white stripe in the middle. In the middle of the flag was the crest of the <em>árbol sabio</em>, the wise tree that had lived through Linphea all throughout her days.</p><p>            And as the moon rose in the air, the flag bursting into bloom against the black sky, the people cheered, a roar of joy and freedom. Sacniete smiled at everyone.</p><p>            “Now,” she said, “let the feast begin.”</p><p>***</p><p>            “Come on,” Flora said, leading her girlfriend to the table. Mirta gasped.</p><p>            Brightly-shining insects fluttered around the table, illuminating it with a beautiful glow. The cool spring air brushed past them as they sat down, heaping their plates with food. And as always, there was an entire village full of food.</p><p>            There was roast <em>chayote de primavera</em>, a rare type of Linphean squash that grew in the late winter and supplemented most fasting-diets. Heaping dishes of floral stew were on the table, cooked with fermented flower-petals and sautéed in a butter sauce. Fresh cream came from the <em>vacas de aire</em>, a type of nomadic cow that flew. Entire agricultural tribes had been built around them, and had travelled the planet following these cows.</p><p>            “I know that Linpheans are vegetarian, and you don’t eat meat,” Mirta said, helping herself to cream and <em>papas azules</em>, “but why won’t you eat any of the dairy?”</p><p>            “My family is vegan,” Flora explained. “Priests are generally much stricter than other families. We don’t eat anything that could’ve possibly caused pain to an animal. We also don’t eat any root-vegetables.”</p><p>            “The food looks good, though,” Mirta commented.</p><p>            “I’ll say,” Flora answered. She let out a sigh.</p><p>            “Flora, what’s wrong?”</p><p>            Flora looked at her girlfriend in surprise. Mirta gave her the <em>don’t try to fool me </em>look. “What’s going on?”</p><p>            “I really enjoy this festival, trust me,” Flora answered, letting out a sigh. “There’s something that’s been bothering me, though.”</p><p>            "What?" Mirta immediately was alert.</p><p>            "Well, I've been thinking about what Abuela said about Zenith," Flora answered. "Even after all it's faced, Linphea has been going on a steady trajectory upwards. As a nation, we're not very wealthy, but our people are generally happy and well-fed. But Zenith… it's never recovered from its problems." <em>And the relationship between our two nations is still terrible, too.</em></p><p>            “That's because of its current system of government," Mirta answered. "Growing up in Whisperia, I never felt as if the government had any say in my actions or words. For all Whisperian society's faults, we had freedom of the press and a good government. But Zenith – it's a dictatorship. There is complete censorship, complete lack of freedom. Nothing matter except how many robots they produce."</p><p>            "That's <em>so </em>true," Flora agreed – she'd never thought about Zenith in the way Mirta had said. "And the people there are so robotic too. Sometimes I worry so much about Tecna, because she's just so <em>closed </em>from the rest of us. There, showing emotions is considered a weakness, and it's something that's been beaten from the population. Even after all these years, she still can't fully express herself."</p><p>            Mirta took Flora's hand.</p><p>            "Don't worry, Flo," she said gently. "Tecna will turn around, I'm sure of it. Even though she doesn't show it as well as you, she loves all of us strongly. I can tell just in the way she talks to all of us – especially to <em>you</em>, Flora. She'll be okay."</p><p>            "Thank you, Mirta," Flora said, smiling at her girlfriend in relief. "You've captured so much of the Linphean spirit already. And let me tell you this: for all our faults, when it comes down to bare loyalty and courage, there is no one you would want by your side other than a Linphean. We may be primitive by Magixian or Zenithian standards, but trust me, we are all about the connection between souls."</p><p>            “Dessert!” Miele shouted suddenly.</p><p>            Flora craned her neck and saw that the dessert was, indeed, coming. Heaping dishes of Linphean fruit, pies, and cakes were coming towards them, landing on the table. Abuela’s <em>fruta de nacimiento </em>sauce landed directly towards them. She picked up the bowl and offered it to Mirta.</p><p>            "I'm glad you think that about me," Mirta answered, looking pleased. "And like you said, although not everyone has been nice, this has been one of the best vacations of my life. I'm happy you brought me here."</p><p>            Flora pulled Mirta into a hug, and they sat there together at the table. "I'm happy you came, too."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Princess Ball</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Four weeks had passed of spring vacation. In those four weeks, Tecna hadn't texted anyone, except to tell Timmy that she couldn't talk. She had received several texts, such as Stella sending continuous reminders about her upcoming Princess Ball, but she'd never replied. She hadn't called anyone, either. All she did, all day, was sit at a desktop computer, solving any problems that needed to be solved, coding more algorithms to enhance the robots' durability. From dawn to well after dusk, she worked.</p><p>            The work was much more than it had been in past years, but Tecna never complained. She knew that what the president was creating – whatever it was – was just reaching its final stages of development. She worked just as hard as the androids, the androids that operated off of battery and therefore could work as long as the battery lasted.</p><p>            She still hadn't been able to get any news about Linphea. The only international news she'd gotten was about Melody. The day she'd left for Zenith, a portal had been opened, letting loose various criminals of Omega. By now, the criminals had been contained, but the portal – well, that was a different story.</p><p>            And now, as she sat at the computer and worked, the door swung open. Surprised at the interruption, Tecna halted and turned towards the entrance. She jumped back in fear as a familiar man stepped in through the doorway.</p><p>            "No need to worry, girl," he smirked.</p><p>            Tecna swallowed. A visit from Igor Vasiliev, the head of the laboratory, was never a good thing. He was a close friend of her father's, but she hated and feared him immensely. She backed her computer chair slowly, feeling terrified and defensive at the same time. <em>Oh, why is he here – </em>Then she saw the figure behind him, and all breath escaped from her mouth.</p><p>            Great Premier Medea Alexandrova stood in front of her, her eyes glinting. She wore a tight maroon dress, one that appeared to give her no room to breathe. Her eyes were narrow, and her hair was bright blue, tucked in a bun. Her lips were thin, a small line of magenta lipstick across her mouth. But it was her face that awed – and terrified – Tecna the most. Paler than the palest white, it made her look soulless and untouchable, a radiant beauty. There was no doubt about it; the premier was cold.</p><p>            "Your Magnificence," she breathed, standing up and bowing low to the ground. "It is an honor to meet you."</p><p>            Great Premier Alexandrova stepped forward.</p><p>            "It is good to meet you too, Miss Ivanova," she said. "One of Mr. Vasiliev's best workers, I hear. Though a cyborg, nonetheless."</p><p>            Tecna hid her wince. As premier for over a century, this woman had drafted some of the most significant anti-cyborg legislation in the history of Zenith. From the books she'd read in Magix, it had been a move to assuage the population. The people of Zenith had blamed her for their inability to put food on the table, but rather than listen to their complaints, the Premier had simply blamed it on the cyborgs. It had been easy to do, as cyborgs were universally resented, anyhow. The Cyborg Massacre of 917, known to Zenithians as the Culling, had been incited by her; although she didn't send troops to kill them, the people of Zenith had listened to her words and murdered the cyborgs, as they'd seen them a threat to their stability.</p><p>            "The premier is with me on tour around the laboratory," Vasiliev said. "Today is her inspection day, to make sure everything is in working order."</p><p>            "Of course," Tecna nodded, trying best to hide her fear. The laboratory, in fact, was owned by Premier Alexandrova. Many decades ago, Vasiliev had been contracted by the premier to work on this project. She had never yet witnessed one of her inspections, much less met her in person, but she was instantly terrified. <em>The stakes are much higher now… </em>She couldn't afford to slip up.</p><p>            "Exactly," Premier Alexandrova answered. "The king of Solaria did send me an invitation to his daughter's Princess Ball, but I declined. It is much more important to see how check on my citizens." Her smile didn't meet her eyes; if anything, it looked more like a smirk.</p><p>            "<em>Today </em>is the Princess Ball?" Tecna gasped.</p><p>            "Yes," the premier said, and her smirk showed how little she thought of Tecna. "Time flies when you're working for your Motherland, doesn't it? Now, my dear, I must go." She sauntered out the room, Vasiliev following close by.</p><p><em>            Of course the ball is today</em>, thought Tecna. It was Quadrimensis 13 already. She immediately checked the Winx Club group-chat. In addition to the 7563 unread texts from the past weeks, there were 342 just from this morning: everyone was talking about the Princess Ball.</p><p><em>            The whole thing is going to be televised. </em>She was itching to see it, to see all of her friends in the castle. But to do so would be a diversion from her work… something that would be unacceptable. <em>And especially with Premier Alexandrova here…</em></p><p>            But it wasn't every day that a Princess Ball happened, and Tecna so desperately wanted to see her friends on screen. Besides, Vasiliev would be showing the premier around the lab, which meant he wouldn't have time to check on her. <em>I'll do my work </em>and <em>watch at the same time. </em>She set up a firewall around her computer, so that Vasiliev wouldn't be able to see what she was doing, and hacked into the system so she could access the Internet. Keeping a tab open of her coding program at the same time, she typed "Princess Ball".</p><p>            A live-stream video on the Magix Modern Matrix appeared, and Tecna clicked on it. Immediately, she caught sight of Stella, on an elevated platform, and her friends, in the front row of the court. Tecna stopped for a moment to admire them.</p><p>            Stella, as the star of the show, was wearing a sparkling, floor-length purple gown with golden embroidery and blue opal jewelry. Her golden hair was up, falling in curls down to her waist. She sat on a gilded, red-and-yellow throne, next to her father. Her father sat next to her on his larger throne, the throne that belonged to the sovereign of Solaria.</p><p>            The other girls were sitting in the chairs of the courtiers; Bloom and Musa were sitting with their respective boyfriends. Tecna was pleased to see that whatever danger that had passed on Melody was clearly well enough for Musa to be there. <em>Not that I can find out what's going on. </em>The firewall blocked her access to most of the Web; it took huge amounts of coding to even see the Magix Modern Matrix. Layla was wearing a sunny yellow dress, Bloom had a blue tulle ball gown, Musa was wearing garnet red, and Mirta wore a deep indigo. Tecna, however, thought Flora's dress was the prettiest, even prettier than Stella's. She wore a simple yet form-fitting peach-pink dress that suited her brown skin, and had flowers pinned in her hair.</p><p>            As the video scanned momentarily through the rows of courtiers and guests, Tecna looked carefully to see who had come. The room was packed, everyone dressed elegantly. By the looks of it, all were barons and baronesses, dukes and duchesses, counts and countesses. Like many other realms, Solaria followed the system of feudalism, which meant that status was based off of relation to the king. It was very much unlike Zenith, a capitalist dictatorship.</p><p>            Zenith hadn't always been capitalist, however. In the Age of Blood, its people had overthrown the king, and a dictator had taken his place. Zenith had become completely communist, centralizing all production. However, this method had proved to be very unstable, and in Year 543 of their current Age, the Age of Unity, Zenith had switched to capitalism. This switch had allowed the development of the Realm Wide Web to set off, and Zenith became a realmwide power.</p><p>            The king took out a box from his drawer and held it out to Stella, who let out a gasp. A diamond necklace shone with dark orange and blue, the colors of Solaria, within its depths. The king began to speak. Though he spoke in Solarian, Common Tongue translations appeared at the bottom of the screen, and Tecna found she could easily understand.</p><p>            "My daughter is now approaching adulthood. In a few short months, she shall be eighteen, the official heir-apparent of Solaria. She is now formally ready to enter society as a true princess." The king smiled down at her.</p><p>            "Princess Stella Lucia Calisto di Solaria, please accept this token as a sign of your readiness to become part of society."</p><p>            With a gasp of excitement, Stella placed the pendant over her neck. A wave of solar energy passed through her body, and the crowd cheered.</p><p>            "Now," the king continued, "I have a special announcement for the public. I have kept it from all but my most trusted staff in the hopes of it being a surprise, and the fear that it would leak into the public. You paparazzi are devious," he said with a smile. The crowd laughed.</p><p>            Tecna could see Stella nervously looking at the other girls. She could tell this wasn't part of the script.</p><p>            "As you all know, I haven't been married for ten years," King Radius continued on. "My former wife, Lady Luna di Lunaria, has parted with me on good terms. However, the kingdom needs stability, someone to stay with me as I part into old age."</p><p>            Tecna watched the color drain from Stella's face. She could make out the other Winx looking at each other with wide eyes, unable to process what was happening.</p><p>            "Therefore, I would like to announce my new bride." King Radius paused. "Countess Cassandra di Russo, and her daughter, Chimera, shall be our new family!"</p><p>            A ripple of shock went through the crowd. Tecna watched as a demonically beautiful girl and her mother stepped out to the crowd, waving at the people. From the onset, she could tell they were Lunarian, not Solarian; they had lighter complexion, and wore dark clothes on a planet where everyone wore pastel. The mother was wearing a navy blue ball-gown adorned with gold, and her daughter was wearing a shimmering, deep purple gown with golden ribbons from head to toe. Except for the wicked-looking cut and the absence of sparkles, it was basically a darker version of Stella's gown.</p><p>            There was cheering, but Tecna could tell it was very forced. The Winx stared at each other with horror, shocked at what had happened.</p><p>            But it was Stella's face that was the worst of all.</p><p>            She was keeping herself composed, as a princess always should, but Tecna could see the shock in her eyes. She knew she was upset. And she stared at the king, amazed at what had just happened.</p><p><em>            Why is he remarrying? </em>she thought. <em>What kind of logic is there in that? He's got a stable kingdom, a beloved daughter, and great power! Why is he doing this?</em></p><p>            "And now," the king continued, "let us celebrate with this new era of prosperity, with Solaria and Lunaria together as one!"</p><p>            The people broke into cheers. The gentry began to dance; it was a custom, at the Princess Ball, that the people were well-fed and got to dance. King Radius took his daughter's hand, and they danced in the center of the room together.</p><p>            Tecna watched Stella's face very closely. She was doing a good job of hiding her emotions, but she could tell she didn't appear happy. <em>The paparazzi probably know it, too. </em>The endless speculators they were, they loved to spread rumors about the royal family in general. <em>This time, though, it's probably true…</em></p><p>            A sudden rumble made everyone stop in their tracks. A clap of thunder sounded above them, frightening the citizens of Solaria. King Radius stared at everyone, his eyes wide.</p><p>            Then rain began to fall.</p><p>            King Radius gasped as he fell back, weakened by the storm. The crowd began to shout out in gasps of alarm. Stella stared at her father, her gaze stricken.</p><p><em>            What's going on? </em>thought Tecna. It <em>never </em>rained on Solaria; Solarians got their water source from underground, not from the air. This new energy was something sinister.</p><p>            Then she gasped as Stella's dress began to burst open at the seams. She stared in horror as Stella's skin color changed from tan to green, and she let out an agonizing yell.</p><p>            "My daughter!" cried King Radius, still reeling from the rain. "What is going on?"</p><p>            Countess Cassandra stepped up and glared down at Stella.</p><p>            "This is not your daughter," she announced. "This is a monster, an imposter. Guards, take it into custody! Make sure it doesn’t cause any trouble!"</p><p>            Stella let out a wail.</p><p>            Tecna watched the camera shift uncertainly to the guards. After all, the countess was not authorized to command them; it was only King Radius who had that power. King Radius stared up at Monster Stella, and Tecna could see his heart breaking. Then his eyes hardened, and he shook his head.</p><p>            "Guards, after her."</p><p>            The effect was instantaneous. Stella yelped as the guards ran after her. She would've been captured and taken down to the dungeons, instantly under control –</p><p>            Had it not been for the rest of the Winx. They instantly dove in front of Stella, blocking the guards from attacking her. Layla said something to Brandon, who ran out of the camera's view, along with Brandon, Riven, Galatea, and Mirta. Bloom grabbed Stella's hand, and they ran out of the hall.</p><p>            Tecna stared at the screen, perplexed. <em>What's going on? </em>She couldn't believe that this was happening. <em>Why are they being attacked?</em></p><p><em>            I have to contact them. </em>Immediately, she focused on her internal wiring, connecting to her phone. The phone dialed, and Flora immediately picked up.</p><p>            "Tecna!" she shouted, and Tecna could see her standing in front of her, through the phone's screen. "Why are you" –</p><p>            "Tell her this isn't exactly the best time!" Layla shouted from wherever she was standing.</p><p>            Tecna gritted her teeth. The Magix Modern Matrix screen had moved from the girls to the citizens of Solaria, all of whom looked terrified. "I'm trying to help you! Obviously I know what's going on!"</p><p>            There was a silence. Then Bloom gasped, "But I thought you couldn't watch us from Zeni" –</p><p>            "There's no time for that!" Stella cried out. "Just tell us what to do, Tecna!"</p><p>            Tecna focused on her computer monitor in her head. She had downloaded maps of the Solarian palace in her brain for a history project at school, but had never remembered to delete them. And she was glad she hadn't; this could save her friends' lives.</p><p>            "I have a map here of the palace," she said. "Where are you right now?"</p><p>            "The Aviary," Stella said breathlessly. "We're trying to escape out of there."</p><p>            "Okay," said Tecna. "Send me your coordinates, Flora!"</p><p>            Flora sent her the coordinates on her phone. Tecna immediately looked them up, and connected them to the map.</p><p>            "Okay," she said. "From what I can see, you need to fly out, and go immediately to the ground. There's a tunnel due north of where you're standing. I'll mark your route and send you the map."</p><p>            "Thanks, Tec!" Musa gasped. "You're a lifesaver!"</p><p>            Tecna marked it as quickly as she could, and sent it to the Winx. Bloom scanned the map.</p><p>            "Okay," she said. "So from what this says, we need to fly out of here, straight to the tunnel, and then radio Sky to get the ship there. If they meet us there, we have a lower chance of getting caught" –</p><p>            "Stop where you are!"</p><p>            Tecna froze as she heard the guards' voices, speaking the Common Tongue; obviously they knew everyone other than Stella was a foreigner.</p><p>            "Give over the monster," one of the guards yelled.</p><p>            "She's not a monster!" Bloom yelled. "She's Princess Stella of Solaria!"</p><p>            "Liar!" another guard shouted. "Our princess would never look that hideous! This is an imposter! Tell us what you've done with her!"</p><p>            "We haven't <em>done </em>anything with her!" Musa yelled back. "She's right <em>here</em>! Can't you see? She's been spelled!"</p><p>            "You're all under arrest," a third guard said grimly. "Under charges of impersonating our princess, attacking the King of Solaria, and causing damage to the castle. The Solarian Army will be here soon to end this. This is a clear attack on the regime of Solaria!"</p><p>            Shock ran through Tecna's body. <em>They think the Winx are terrorists! </em>This was worse than she'd thought. <em>Can't they see that Layla's the princess of Andros, and that the rest of them are Alfea girls? </em>How were the guards so blind?</p><p><em>            They need to get out of there</em>, she thought. She opened her mouth to yell to Flora, to warn her that they'd better get out of there now –</p><p>            Then she squealed as she felt an electric jolt in her own bones.</p><p>            Tecna fell to the floor, the phone clattering to the floor. Electricity zapped her again, and she shrieked in pain. Scrunching her eyes, she turned her head to look up in the face of Mr. Vasiliev.</p><p>            To say Tecna was terrified was an understatement. <em>No, I thought I'd been careful… he </em>can't <em>have found me… </em>Her heard was jumping up and down in her throat, and her wiring was out-of-control. He walked up to her and held her chin in his hand.</p><p>            "So you dared disobey me." He turned off the screen. "Disobeyed me and watched the network, instead of doing your work. Is this what you've grown up to become? Do you have any idea what would've happened if Premier Alexandrova had found out?" He pressed a button on his remote. Electricity zapped through her again, and she let out a yell.</p><p>            "You know what I can do," Vasiliev whispered; he was now mere inches from her face. "I made you, and I can also destroy you. Just don't forget that. You will not <em>dare </em>disobey me ever again. Is that correct?"</p><p>            Tecna nodded shakily. Shame coursed through her, and she bowed her head. <em>How could I ever have shirked my responsibilities here? </em>This man had done so much for her, and <em>this </em>was how she repaid him? "I'm sorry," she said meekly.</p><p>            "Now, back to work." Mr. Vasiliev zapped her screen on. "I will speak to your father about punishment at home."</p><p>            Tecna got to work fast. She slammed her fingers on the keys, and continued to work all through the night. She didn't stop once for food, water, or even a nap; the only thing that was important was her work. <em>I have to make up for all my lost time… </em>When Sammy came for his hourly check at 3 a.m., the only thing visible was Tecna's head on the keyboard, her snores haggard and pained to the world.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter:<br/>	The first semester at Alfea starts.<br/>	Stella is healed from her monster transformation.<br/>	Faragonda speaks to the girls about Enchantix.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Semester 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Alfea College for Fairies</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">SEMESTER I</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>1012-13 Academic Year</p><p>
  <span class="u">Departments of Curricula:</span>
</p><p>        Practical Magic (PM) – classes focusing on spells. Head: Professor Palladium</p><p>        Defense Magic (DM) – classes focusing on battle. Head: Professor Griselda</p><p>        Physical Magic (FM) – classes focusing on maneuvers. Head: Professor DuFour</p><p>        Creative Magic (CM) – classes focusing on creating potions or art. Head: Professor Chika</p><p>        Theoretical Magic (TM) – classes focusing on history/philosophy. Head: Professor Patel</p><p>        Applied Magic (AM) – classes such as convergence or healing. Head: Professor Aditi</p><p>
  <span class="u">Graduation-Requirements:</span>
</p><p>            All students are required to take four classes per semester. Freshmen must take a semester of Spellbound and Aeroflynamics, and sophomores must take a semester of Convergence. Each class is 5 credits.</p><p>            To graduate, a student must have at least 10 credits each in all departments and at least 5 credits in Spellbound, Aeroflynamics, and Convergence. There must be a minimum of 120 class-credits to graduate.</p><p>            In addition, there are three components, one component corresponding to each year: Courage, Character, and Sacrifice. Each category is worth 10 points, and students will be ranked based off of how well they demonstrated each virtue.</p><p>            In total, 135 credits are needed to graduate.</p><p>
  <span class="u">Schedules:</span>
</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Andros, Layla Amina Fatima</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Kingdom of Andros</p><p><em>        Chika </em>– Advanced Potions – CM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30)</p><p><em>        DuFour </em>– Advanced Aeroflynamics – FM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 12:30-14:00)</p><p><em>        Palladium</em> – Advanced Battle – DM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 9:30-11:00)</p><p><em>        Wizkiz</em>  – Advanced Metamorphosis – AM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 14:00-15:30)</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Fernández, Flora</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Queendom of Linphea</p><p><em>        Aditi </em>– Natural Healing – AM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 14:00-15:30)</p><p><em>        Avalon </em>– Intermediate Magiphilosophy – TM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 8:00-9:30)</p><p><em>        Chika </em>– Advanced Potions – CM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30)</p><p><em>        Palladium</em> – Advanced Battle – DM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 9:30-11:00)</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Ivanova, Anastasia Marie</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The People’s Republic of Zenith</p><p><em>        Avalon </em>– Intermediate Magiphilosophy – TM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 8:00-9:30)</p><p><em>        Palladium</em> – Advanced Battle – DM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 9:30-11:00)</p><p><em>        Palladium </em>– Magical Connections – PM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30)</p><p><em>        Wizkiz</em>  – Advanced Metamorphosis – AM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 14:00-15:30)</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Nakamura, Mirta Fujin</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 1</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Warlocks’ Realm of Whisperia</p><p><em>        Chika </em>– *Advanced Potions – CM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30)</p><p><em>        DuFour </em>– Introductory Aeroflynamics – FM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 9:30-11:00)</p><p><em>        Palladium</em> – Spellbound – PM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 9:30-11:00)</p><p><em>        Patel </em>– Introductory History of Magic – TM (Tues &amp; Thurs; 1:00-3:00)</p><p>
  <em>        *Note: placed out of Introductory and Intermediate Potions.</em>
</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Peters, Bloom</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> Earth</p><p><em>        Concorda</em> – Prophecy – TM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 8:00-9:30)</p><p><em>        Griselda</em> – Advanced Defense Maneuvers – DM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 8:00-9:30)</p><p><em>        Palladium</em> – Advanced Battle – DM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 9:30-11:00)</p><p><em>        Wizkiz</em>  – Advanced Metamorphosis – AM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 14:00-15:30)</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Solaria, Stella Lucia Calisto</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Kingdom of Solaria</p><p><em>        Aditi </em>– Weather Predictions – TM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 8:00-9:30)</p><p><em>        DuFour </em>– Advanced Aeroflynamics – FM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 12:30-14:00)</p><p><em>        Palladium</em> – Advanced Battle – DM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 9:30-11:00)</p><p><em>        Patel </em>– Advanced Astronomy – TM (Tues &amp; Thurs; 20:00-22:00)</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Xi, Musa Lei</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Realm of Melody</p><p><em>        Barbatea </em>– Magic in Art – CM (Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30)</p><p><em>        Palladium</em> – Advanced Battle – DM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 9:30-11:00)</p><p><em>        Patel</em> – Advanced History of Magic – TM (Tues &amp; Thurs; 5:00-7:00)</p><p><em>        Wizkiz</em>  – Advanced Metamorphosis – AM (Mon, Wed, Fri; 14:00-15:30)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Higher Art</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            "I can't believe it!" Stella let out a wail. "My dress!"</p><p>            The ship was approaching Alfea. Flora sat next to Mirta as Stella continued to fret, crying about how unattractive she was.</p><p>            "How could she do this to me?" she seethed. "That stupid spoiled brat came and <em>ruined </em>my Princess Ball! And how could my father <em>marry </em>her mother? What about <em>my </em>mom? What, is she just a speck of dust under the rug?" She began to cry.</p><p>            "Calm down, snookums," Brandon said, tightening his arms around Stella in a reassuring embrace. "We'll get you back to normal."</p><p>            Flora squeezed Mirta's hand under the chair. <em>I wish we could hug in public like that… </em>As if hearing what she was thinking, Mirta cast her a warning look.</p><p>            "Nurse Ofelia says she knows a way to turn you back," Bloom said from the dashboard. "She and Ms. Faragonda will fix this. Don't worry, Stell, it's going to be fine."</p><p>            "I mean, I <em>hate </em>this look!" Stella cried. "I mean, it's like when Mirta got turned into a pumpkin, although she was kinda a cute pumpkin, not like <em>this</em>" –</p><p>            "Did you really have to remind her of that?" Musa asked wryly, pointing to the grimace on Mirta's face.</p><p>            Flora winced as well. Mirta had suffered from severe bullying, as well as anxiety, throughout her entire childhood. She remembered how she'd laid Pumpkin Mirta on her dorm table, how she'd tried every single spell she could think of to turn Mirta back. And how Mirta had stayed like that for months until it was over.</p><p>            No one had even searched for her. Griffin had reported her disappearance to the Magix Police, but with so few leads, they'd given up. Even her parents hadn't seemed so bothered. The Winx hadn't reported it to Faragonda or asked the seniors for help, for fear that their headmistress would refuse to help a witch of Cloud Tower. She squeezed Mirta's hand even tighter.</p><p>            "We're approaching," Timmy called. He looked sad as he stared out the window. "Landing soon."</p><p>            Flora felt bad for him. If she was sad about not being able to express her feelings about Mirta, she was sure he felt sad, too. No one had heard from Tecna for two months – that was, until that morning.</p><p><em>            She does this every winter</em>, thought Flora. She had never invited any of the girls to her house, or even to visit her. And she'd been so aloof her entire life.</p><p>            She remembered that day, two years back, when they'd been punished for sneaking out to Cloud Tower. In the past two hectic years, it had been a day like any other, one that went overlooked in their memories of one another. But now she remembered it very clearly, as they stood in Griselda's office together.</p><p>            "Er, Miss Griselda?" Flora had asked timidly as they'd stood in the deputy headmistress's office. "We were wondering when you're going to remove these." She gestured to the band around her wrist, which stopped her from using her magic.</p><p>            Griselda lifted her glasses and glared at the girls. Not a good sign. Her eyes skewered Flora, and she swallowed hard, stepping back.</p><p>            "Your intrusion to Cloud Tower was unacceptable," she said severely. "You're lucky you weren't turned into magical jumping beans and sold to the Magix Circus. No, you won't be getting your powers anytime soon, but that's only the beginning of the punishment."</p><p>            "Then what's the rest of it?" Musa asked.</p><p>            "You won't be getting your powers back for the rest of the weekend, <em>and </em>you won't be leaving campus," Griselda responded.</p><p>            Stella rolled her eyes. "So we get to hang out all weekend? Not exactly a punishment, Ms. G."</p><p>            Bloom and Musa burst into giggles. Flora did her best to contain herself, and even Tecna cracked a smile. They all stopped abruptly, however, when Griselda glared at them, her eyes monstrous and terrifying.</p><p>            "There will be NO hanging out," she snapped. "In fact, you will be cleaning the entire school from front-to-back, <em>without </em>magic. Here." She focused her powers on the closet across from her desk. It opened, and five brooms, a mop, and a bucket rushed out of the closet. She picked the mop up. "Here you go, Princess of Solaria." She threw it into her hands.</p><p>            "What a strange-looking remnant of primitive technology," Tecna remarked, staring at it. "How odd. Let me see what my computer says about it." She pulled her portable laptop out of her pocket.</p><p>            "Oh, and one more thing, Miss Tecna," said Griselda, snatching the laptop and snapping it shut. "You won't be needing any computers, either. In fact, I've turned off the wireless in the entire castle."</p><p>            "What?" gasped Tecna. She tried to keep her face indifferent and emotionless, but Flora could see the fear behind her eyes. "But I don't know how to" –</p><p>            "Tecna, you look so scared," Bloom teased. "You're actually showing emotion for a change!"</p><p>            "Though by Tecna's standards, probably too <em>much</em> of it," Musa added.</p><p>            "I know," Tecna said quietly, wringing her hands together as she stared at the ground. "I know I shouldn't be acting this way. But ever since I've met you guys, and left Zenith, quite frankly" – she stared up at the ceiling – "I've been losing control."</p><p>            Flora began to giggle; so did the rest of the girls. <em>Lose control? Tecna? </em>She was the most rigid, uptight person they'd ever met. Tecna stared at them, alarm and annoyance in her eyes.</p><p>            "What's so funny?" she demanded. "That wasn't a joke! I don't" –</p><p>            "STOP!"</p><p>            The girls stopped laughing. Griselda glared at them, and they all backed down. "Dust and clean every surface of the castle! I want to see your faces reflecting in the desks!"</p><p>            "But, Miss Griselda," Tecna protested, "I still don't know how to" –</p><p>            "OUT!" Griselda barked. Flora grabbed Tecna's hand and pulled her out of the office. The other girls carried the equipment, quick as they could to escape Griselda's ire.</p><p>            "I don't understand!" Tecna protested, utterly confused. "How do I even <em>use </em>these things?"</p><p>            "Don't worry, Tec, it's <em>not</em> that complicated," Musa laughed. "You'll be a pro at it in no time."</p><p>            Later, while Musa, Stella, and Bloom were bickering about the cleaning, Flora stood with Tecna in the hall, trying to explain to her how to use a broom.</p><p>            "Let me show you," she'd laughed.</p><p>            "Thank you, Flora, but I'm sure I can figure out these primitive implements on my own." Tecna picked up the bucket and placed it on her head. "Ah-ha!"</p><p>            "Um"… Flora did her best to disguise her laugher. "You sure?"</p><p>            "Affirmative." With newfound confidence, Tecna picked up the broom and eyed it. "It's elongated so it can reach high places. Hmm." Carrying it over her head, she swept under a painting. Flora watched with amusement as Tecna swept roughly, pushing against the frame.</p><p>            The painting began to shake. Suddenly, its fastenings were undone, and it fell off the wall. Tecna gasped in horror as it fell on the ground, the glass splintering into hundreds of pieces.</p><p>            "No!" she cried in alarm, running to the floor. "What did I do?" Her hands fell to the floor, just about brushing the glass.</p><p>            "Tecna"… Flora stared at her in alarm, the smile gone from her face. "Get back from there. You're going to cut yourself!"</p><p>            Tecna wasn't paying any attention. To her shock, Flora saw that there were stress-lines across her suitemate's forehead.</p><p>            "Why did I do this?" she cried. "Now our efficiency has been cut by zero-point-two times! I'll have to clean this, and <em>then </em>I have to figure out how to clean the rest of the school" –</p><p>            "Tecna, please calm down," Flora whispered.</p><p>            "No, you don't understand, I should never have" –</p><p>            "No, it's <em>okay</em>."</p><p>            Tecna stared up at her. Flora smiled as reassuringly as she could, and stroked Tecna's shoulders.</p><p>            "Look, Tecna," she said, "I know you care about efficiency. But the thing is, it's <em>fine</em>. Yes, we need to finish cleaning by the end of today, but we'll get it done. The important thing is not making sure we get this done as fast as we can. The important thing is having fun."</p><p>            "Fun?" echoed Tecna. "Why would this ever be fun?"</p><p>            "Because we're getting to know each other," Flora answered, "and we're doing it together. Besides, you're forgetting one thing, Tecna: you don't have to do this alone."</p><p>            "What do you mean?"</p><p>            "We're all in this together," Flora answered. "The five of us were punished, and we're all taking equal responsibility for this – okay, maybe not Stella," she added. "But you're not alone, Tecna. No matter what happens, we'll always stand by your side."</p><p>            The stress-lines on Tecna's face disappeared, and her demeanor calmed. For a moment, she looked like a normal girl, with no worries at all. Then, slowly, she nodded.</p><p>            "Thanks, Flora," she whispered, brushing by her arm. A hint of a new friendship.</p><p>            And now Flora sat in the ship, remembering that fateful day. Tecna had been the odd one out from the start, and had certainly been very strange about the cleaning. They'd all laughed at it, passing it off as just one of Tecna's oddities.</p><p>            But now Flora was beginning to wonder how true that was. She'd been the one girl who'd never expressed delight when they all talked with each other about their boyfriends. It had taken the fall of the Army of Decay for her to even join in a group hug. And just as Flora had thought she'd worked through some of her emotional difficulties at the Resort Realm, <em>this</em> had happened…</p><p>            "Let's go!" Stella yelled. "I want this fixed right now!"</p><p>            Flora looked up and realized the ship had landed at Alfea. Timmy opened the rear door.</p><p>            Stella ran out, followed by Brandon and Bloom. "Come on!" she shouted. They ran into the school, towards the nurses' wing.</p><p>            Ofelia stood there, next to Headmistress Faragonda. Flora halted and stared up at her, the all-knowing woman who had served as their headmistress for the last three years. She looked gravely down at them.</p><p>            "Greetings, girls," she said. "You got into quite a bit of trouble."</p><p>            "Um, understatement of the month?" Stella screeched. "All it took was that jerk Chimera, and everyone turned against me! Me, the princess! My dad won't even speak to me" –</p><p>            "All right,” Faragonda said, raising her hand for silence. "Now here's what I'm going to do. Nurse Ofelia and I are going to break the spell, but we need you girls to be blindfolded. You cannot see what is going on."</p><p>            "What?" asked Bloom in confusion. "What do you mean?"</p><p>            "The only way to break this spell is to practice a higher form of fairy art," Faragonda said. "It is held in complete secrecy to all except for those who unlock it."</p><p>            Flora thought she knew what Faragonda was talking about. Adult fairies had a more mature transformation; she'd seen her mother wearing it. She remembered asking her mother, when she was younger, why her wings were different from Flora's. Flora's mother had just smiled and said that she would learn someday. <em>I guess this is what it's about.</em></p><p>            "Boys, step outside," Faragonda ordered. The Specialists walked towards the door, and Brandon gazed uncertainly over his shoulder at Stella. Nurse Ofelia undressed Stella, pulling the torn remains of the dress off, as Faragonda came near with blindfolds.</p><p>            "Here," she said, passing one out to each of the girls. Flora pulled it over her head, gasping at the suffocating darkness it brought her.</p><p>            "Now!" she shouted. A wave of energy shot through the room, and Flora gasped at its soothing effects. <em>This is the most peaceful thing I've ever felt. </em>Stella gasped in amazement as it washed over her.</p><p>            "It's done." Faragonda nodded. "Now, unmask yourselves."</p><p>            Flora tore off her blindfold, staring. Stella was completely back to normal. She was wearing a soft infirmary robe, and squealed in delight as Ofelia took off her blindfold. She rushed to the window.</p><p>            "Wow, this monster transformation really softened my skin!" she gasped. "And that spot on my face from beforehand was gone! I don't have to cover it up with my hair to make it disappear" –</p><p>            "You'd think she was a model, the way she keeps going on," Layla laughed.</p><p>            Flora stared at Faragonda. "That must've been a really powerful spell," she said.</p><p>            "Whatever it was, it was awesome!" Stella gasped. "The most soothing sensation came over everywhere in my body, and I felt so… pure. Ms. F, what did you do?"</p><p>            "Oh, I daresay you'll find out," Faragonda smiled. "After all, senior year is just around the corner. Now, we need to talk about the political situation in Solaria, Stella."</p><p>            The girls frowned. Stella stared up at Faragonda in alarm, and the headmistress placed her hands on Stella's shoulders.</p><p>            "There is turmoil in your realm," she said. "The rain has stopped, but the King of Solaria is still searching for you. The real you, not your monster self – he hasn’t yet connected the two. He believes that you've been captured by the same terrorists who brought a monster to the Princess Ball."</p><p>            "<em>What</em>?" gasped Stella.</p><p>            "There's more," Faragonda answered. "Solaria's relics have been stolen from the palace."</p><p>            All of the girls gasped in horror. Flora stared at Faragonda, her eyes wide. <em>No… How is this possible? </em>Stella, however, looked furious. "I bet it was that awful countess!"</p><p>            "Stella, you cannot jump to conclusions," Faragonda said severely. "You are going to be queen someday, and you cannot declare someone a traitor just because you <em>assume </em>so. In any case, I don't think it was a mere countess. It was someone much, much more powerful."</p><p>            "But <em>how</em>?" Stella gasped. "How did someone attack my realm like that? And why didn't those idiot guards realize I was spelled?"</p><p>            "Imagine how the situation looks, Stella," Faragonda frowned. "You didn't look very happy at the Ball – all the paparazzi were talking about how you didn't look like your normal self. And then you transformed into a monster. That makes everyone believe that you were an imposter, when you were indeed not."</p><p>            "What are we going to do?" Layla asked worriedly.</p><p>            "I'm going to radio your father and tell him that you're here, with your friends," Faragonda answered, "and that there is nothing to worry. I'll explain to him that someone put a spell on you and made you appear like an imposter. He will listen to me; I am well-known enough across all of the realms."</p><p>            "But then that leaves us the question," Bloom said: "who put that spell on Stella?"</p><p>            "The same person that stole the treasures," Faragonda answered. "Obviously, he wanted a diversion, so that he could steal the realm's valuables. This is very troubling news indeed. I will look into this matter. In the meantime, I want you girls to sit tight."</p><p>            "How can you expect me to sit tight when my realm's under siege and my dad thinks I'm a monster?" Stella exploded.</p><p>            Faragonda glared at Stella with the power of ten Solarian suns. The princess shrank back, startled.</p><p>            "I am trying my best to keep this under control," she snapped. "Have you ever thought I might know about the situation more than you do? The reason why I'm asking you to relax is because stress doesn't solve problems. I promise your father will be in touch with you shortly. In the meantime, let me do my job!"</p><p><em>            What's with Faragonda? </em>wondered Flora. <em>She's never acted like this! </em>She gazed at Stella, who had a stunned expression on her face.</p><p>            "Now go to the dorms," Faragonda continued, in a calmer tone. "I'll meet with you in the morning to discuss our plans."</p><p>            "Thank you, Ms. Faragonda," the girls said quietly as they walked out. As soon as the door closed, they stared at one another in disbelief.</p><p>            "What's up with <em>her</em>?"</p><p>            "How'd the relics get stolen?"</p><p>            "Why won't she tell us <em>anything</em>?"</p><p>            As they walked, Flora realized she'd dropped her bracelet. <em>Must be near the infirmary… </em>She turned around to search for it, Stella's relieved voice and Brandon's promise of a date sounding through the air. She found it at the door to the infirmary, and picked it up.</p><p>            As she turned around, she thought she could hear Faragonda speaking to Ofelia. They were talking quietly, but Flora could still hear her speaking in a grave tone.</p><p>            "Something is not right here," she said. "How is it that someone was even able to spell Stella in the first place? The security at all royal palaces is very strong."</p><p>            "I don't know, Headmistress," Ofelia answered. "What are you suggesting?"</p><p>            "Just think about it," Faragonda answered. "Events in the Dimension have been haywire. First the Omega Portal breaks open in Melody, then the Solarian relics get stolen. And Melody's relics were stolen last month, too, though I didn't tell the girls. The Melodian royalty has been trying to keep it quiet."</p><p>            "What are you suggesting, Headmistress?" Ofelia asked.</p><p>            "I'm saying," Faragonda answered, "that something dark is approaching."</p><p>            Flora shuddered. <em>I hope she's wrong… </em>But inside, she knew that wasn't the case at all. <em>If Ms. Faragonda says so, there's going to be trouble. </em>She turned away, her shoulders stooping as she followed the other girls.</p><p>***</p><p>            Alfea stood brilliantly, its large, gleaming pink turrets against a blue, cloudless sky. The first day of school, Quintmensis 6, was here. New girls were wandering all around the quad, gaping at its beauty and prestige in the world.</p><p>            “I know I saw this prematurely, coming in with you guys,” Galatea said, “but I just want to say this place is amazing.”</p><p>            “Isn’t it?” Musa grinned at her. “This is gonna be your home for the next three years. Enjoy every moment of it, Galatea.”</p><p>            “Winx!” Flora heard tiny voices behind her.</p><p>            “The pixies!” Stella let out a whoop. Chatta, Lockette, Digit, and Amore zoomed towards the girls, their eyes filled with excitement.</p><p>            “Hey, look at you!” Chatta grinned. “You’re here, and” – She grinned at Mirta. “You’re here with your” –</p><p>            “Shh!” Flora said anxiously, looking around. Fortunately, no one else seemed to have noticed. They were chatting with their own pixies, excited to see them again.</p><p>            “It’s great to have them back, isn’t it?” Layla asked, cradling Piff. With the exception of the Princess Ball, she and Musa had stayed in Magix the entire winter, so Piff and Tune had stayed with them the entire time.</p><p>            Bloom gazed over at the quad. “There’re so many new freshmen this year,” she pointed out.</p><p>            “Yeah, and some of them are freshmen that we know!” added Stella, catching sight of one. “Hey, Nova!”</p><p>            Flora looked. A girl with bright orange hair was running towards them, grinning. She threw her arms around Stella.</p><p>            “This is Nova di Ricci,” Stella announced. “She’s from Solaria, and her father’s the lord of the Ricci province. Everyone, say hi!”</p><p>            “Hi,” everyone said, smiling at Nova. Flora watched as Nova gazed at all of them with her bright amber eyes, a smile on her face.</p><p>            “It’s so great to finally be at Alfea!” she burst out. “I’m so excited! I’ve been waiting all my life for this, and now it’s finally here! I can hardly wait!”</p><p>            “That’s great,” Flora grinned, remembering how excited she’d been when she’d received her acceptance packet, combined with a hefty amount of financial aid. “I’m happy for you, Nova.”</p><p>            “So, any more news from Solaria?” Stella asked worriedly as they walked towards the quad.</p><p>            “No,” Nova frowned. “The paparazzi’s through the roof about how you got spelled, though. No one can believe it happened.”</p><p>            “I still can’t believe it myself,” Stella said, looking sad. “And that my dad’s marrying that woman.” She clenched her teeth.</p><p>            Flora frowned. In that past week, King Radius had come to visit Alfea, apologizing to Stella for having ordered his guards to attack. They’d embraced tearfully, and then Stella had asked him why he was marrying Countess Cassandra.</p><p>            “Why?” she’d shouted at him. “Why didn’t you even <em>ask </em>me first? Do you have any idea how horrible this is?”</p><p>            “I thought it would be a wonderful surprise,” King Radius said, taken aback. “I thought you’d be happy to have someone to consider a mother.”</p><p>            “I already <em>have </em>a mom, and she’s awesome!” Stella yelled. “How could you do this, Daddy? You know how I felt when you divorced Mom! And now you’re letting – that <em>woman </em>– replace her!”</p><p>            “We’ve been through this many times, Stella,” her father said. “Your mother and I just weren’t meant for each other, and besides, she hated royal life. Solaria needs a queen, Stella, and Countess Cassandra is as good as any other. She’s a clever woman, and she’ll help me with the administrative tasks around the castle. Not to mention, her daughter Chimera is a lovely girl, and I’m sure you’ll be close friends in no time” –</p><p>            To this Stella seethed uncontrollably and stormed out of her room, slamming the door in her father’s face.</p><p>            And now Flora was standing with her friends, watching Stella as she spoke to Nova. <em>I hope we can figure this out… </em>She let out a sigh.</p><p>            “Come on, Mirta,” she said. “Let’s go and see the other girls” –</p><p>            “Is there a witch in our presence?”</p><p>            The quad fell silent. A sophomore girl, whom Flora recognized as Eris Drakos of Eraklyon, walked towards Mirta, her expression spiteful.</p><p>            “So we have a witch here,” she laughed. “One of the best schools in Magix. My parents – who are on the school board, by the way – voted against your entrance into the school, but Faragonda overruled them. So here I am, stuck with a loser like you.”</p><p>            Mirta was trembling. Flora put her arm around her and glared at Eris.</p><p>            “Don’t talk to her like that,” she responded. “She helped us fight the Army of Decay, before you were even here! <em>And</em> she’s given us so much valuable insight into warlock culture. Please leave her alone.”</p><p>            “<em>Please</em>,” Eris mocked. “You sound like a little kid on the playground. ‘Please give me a turn on the swing!’” She rolled her eyes. “You of all people, a Linphean, shouldn’t be interacting with such” –</p><p>            “If you’re not going to listen to her, you’d better listen to <em>us</em>, hotshot,” Musa said, stepping forward. “I’ve been bullied before, and I’m not about to let you go after her.”</p><p>            “Same here,” Bloom added. “Mirta’s one of us. We’re not putting up with your junk.”</p><p>            “Yeah,” agreed Stella, her hand lighting up threateningly. “And if you don’t believe it, well, there’s new monster-transformation spell I’ve really been itching to try out” –</p><p>            “ENOUGH!” a voice shouted. Griselda walked towards the quad, her eyes blazing. She glared at Eris, and at Stella, who was pointing the spell at Eris’s face.</p><p>            “Release that spell, or I’m getting the magic-reduction band,” she ordered.</p><p>            Grumbling, Stella stepped backwards and glared at Eris. Griselda turned to face the Eraklyonese girl, who backed down.</p><p>            “I’ll be watching you from now on,” she snarled. “You’d better watch your step, Miss Eris.”</p><p>            “Yes,” said Eris, rather meekly. Never had Flora been so glad to see Griselda in her life. <em>She’ll keep Eris reined in… I hope… </em>She squeezed Mirta’s shoulders.</p><p>            “Don’t worry, Mirta,” Nova said, stepping forward. “Not all of us are like that.”</p><p>            “I’m with her,” agreed Galatea. “You helped us save Stella in Solaria, Mirta. You’ll always have <em>my</em> respect.”</p><p>            “Are we going to start this school year or not?” Griselda demanded. “Sign in for attendance with your fellow professors here! Sophomores go to Table 1, seniors go to Table 2, and freshmen come to me!”</p><p>            Mirta looked nervously at Flora, who smiled and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “You’ll be fine,” she assured her.</p><p>            She got in line with the other Winx girls. They stood together, chatting excitedly about the upcoming year. Even Stella, after her fiasco of a Princess Ball, seemed excited. But then Flora turned around, and then she saw the girl they’d all been wondering about for the past two months.</p><p>            Tecna was the last in line, her eyes downcast. Flora’s heart leapt as she saw her, wearing a pair of long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. <em>It’s so warm today… and what happened to that cute crop-top?</em> She turned away from the others, and walked towards Tecna, placing her hand on her shoulder.</p><p>            Tecna jumped. Flora tried to smile, as cheerfully as she could. “Tec, it’s so great to finally see you,” she said. “How was your break?”</p><p>            “Fine,” muttered Tecna, her eyes downcast.</p><p>            Flora’s smile vanished. She stared at her friend, worried. “Are you all right?”</p><p>            “I’m fine,” said Tecna, rather absentmindedly. “Just doing a few calculations.”</p><p>            “Okay,” said Flora, not quite satisfied. “But aren’t you excited for the upcoming year? We all are.”</p><p>            Tecna nodded. “I am, but”…</p><p>            “But what?” Flora pressed on.</p><p>            “I’m sorry,” Tecna said awkwardly. “I’m in the middle of calculating something in my head.” She smiled, though the smile seemed humorless and sad. “We can talk later, okay?” She closed her eyes, and Flora stared at her.</p><p><em>            She’s never been </em>this <em>aloof before. </em>At the beginning of last year, she’d greeted Flora and the others cheerfully enough. And once they’d defeated Darkar, she’d been ecstatic, partying along with the rest of them. But now… it was like a robot had taken over her body and set her controls.</p><p>            She reached the front of the line. Palladium and Avalon were manning the table; Palladium was dealing with the lower half of the alphabet, while Avalon was dealing with the upper half. He nodded to Flora as he found her name on the list. “Flora Fernández, Linphea?”</p><p>            “Correct,” Flora nodded, forcing herself to look at him. After last year’s chaotic events, she found it difficult to even look at the real Professor Avalon in the face. Even though the false Professor Avalon had been killed along with Darkar and the Realm of Realix, the treachery still had found its way into her heart. Avalon stopped checking her box and looked up at Flora.</p><p>            “You’re nervous because I’m here,” he said.</p><p>            “I” – How could Flora deny it? She nodded, gazing fearfully at him. He shook his head sadly and sighed.</p><p>            “I suppose it will be a while before anyone heals from the scars of last year,” he said. “Darkar’s siege devastated all of us. But I will do my best to prove myself – that I will assure you.”</p><p>            “It wasn’t your fault,” Flora breathed. “That man – he assumed your identity. You had no choice.”</p><p>            “I know,” said Avalon. “But you’ll see. I’ll make sure we stay together this year.” He smiled at her. “You have my word.” He passed her a sheet of paper. “Here is your schedule for the year.”</p><p>            She nodded. Stepping out of the line, she joined the other Winx and Mirta.</p><p>            The girls swapped schedules, looking at each other’s coursework. The Winx all shared Advanced Battle with Palladium. Musa, Tecna, Layla, and Bloom were taking Advanced Metamorphosis together. Flora, Mirta, and Layla were in Advanced Potions, Stella and Layla were both in Advanced Aeroflynamics, and Flora and Tecna shared Intermediate Magiphilosophy.</p><p>            Faragonda stood up and began to speak to the students of Alfea.</p><p>            “It is a pleasure to have you all,” she smiled. “Greetings, girls, and I heartily welcome you back to Alfea. Now, I would like to commence this year with a few words to our freshmen. Sophomores and seniors, please step back while we talk.”</p><p>            Flora nudged Mirta. “Go on,” she said.</p><p>            She watched as Faragonda made her obligatory speech about the girls’ duties to become great fairies of the Magical Dimension. It was a lot to expect of teenagers, but after all, they were students of a prestigious school founded by the United Realms. A few looked very nervous as she detailed the coursework. Then she dismissed the freshmen, and spoke to the sophomores about earning their Charmixes and their new responsibility to go on quests.</p><p><em>            Like the quest to Shadowhaunt</em>, Flora thought. She remembered how Bloom, Stella, and Layla had been sent on the first quest to Shadowhaunt, and how they’d all gone to rescue Bloom the second time. The thought sent shudders through her body, and she sighed.</p><p><em>            But there won’t be anything as scary as that this time</em>, she thought. <em>There </em>can’t<em>. I don’t think Mirta can stomach it. </em>She sighed.</p><p>            Then Faragonda dismissed the sophomores, and she turned to face the seniors, her eyes unusually grave.</p><p>            “It is time,” she announced. “Your third and final year at Alfea. You all have worked incredibly hard to become what you’ve become now, and I could not be prouder of each one of you. However – not all of you will graduate this year.”</p><p>            There was a collective gasp from the fifty or so students. Flora stared at Tecna, who had finally finished with her internal calculations and was staring at Faragonda, her eyes wide.</p><p>            “In order to graduate this year, you will have to pass the final exam,” Faragonda continued on.</p><p>            Flora heard Amaryl muttering to her friends. “I haven’t even unpacked yet, and she’s talking about finals. Can’t she wait until tomorrow? And how bad can this exam be, anyways?”</p><p>            “I’m telling you this now because you need to hear it before you take a step into the building,” Faragonda interrupted. Amaryl’s cheeks became a bright red. “You need to hear this so you can understand what task you’re undertaking.”</p><p>            Venus of Solaria raised her hand. “Um, Ms. F, what do we do? How hard do we have to study for this exam?”</p><p>            “It’s not a test you can prepare for,” Faragonda answered. “It is a test that you’ll only go through when the time is right. That may be tomorrow, a few months from now, or even on the last day of this school year. But this is the critical year, the year that you develop magical maturity. If you don’t get it now, chances are, you’ll never get it.”</p><p>            “What exactly is this <em>thing </em>that we have to get?” Tecna asked, and Flora held back a smile. She knew how much Tecna hated it when anyone spoke in abstract terms.</p><p>            Faragonda smiled down at her. “That, my friend, is Enchantix. Yes, the final fairy form,” she added, as several girls let out gasps. “It is the adult form of all fairies. And it is not easily found, either. For in order to earn Enchantix, a fairy must be pure of heart.”</p><p>            “What do we have to do to get it?” wondered Layla.</p><p>            Faragonda frowned and assessed the group of students.</p><p>            “No more interruptions,” she said sternly, in a voice most unlike her. “This is important, and you need to hear it.” The girls whispering in the corners began to hush; the headmistress continued on. “This is a test of sacrifice. In order to earn Enchantix, a fairy must sacrifice herself for a birth citizen of her home-realm. It will provide you with so many new powers you never had before. For those of you who pass, that is.” She frowned. “For the rest of you that don’t, you’ll stay exactly the same as you are now.”</p><p>            A babble began to break out in the quad. Stella turned towards the other girls, her eyes blazing. “As long as it’s not Chimera, I’ll sacrifice myself for anyone!”</p><p><em>            So </em>that’s <em>what the special power is</em>, Flora realized. This was the power that Faragonda had been talking about when she’d healed Stella! <em>Oh stars, what happens if we don’t get this power?</em></p><p>            “Then, as full-fledged fairies,” Faragonda continued, silencing everyone with a stare, “you shall protect your realms from destruction! That shall be your responsibility, as a graduate of Alfea.” She nodded at the girls, who stared at her, their mouths agape.</p><p>            “But that is enough,” she continued. “Now it is time for you to go in and unpack. But don’t forget what I’ve told you. Only those that pass shall become true fairies of their realms!”</p><p>            She dismissed everyone with a hand-wave. Everyone began to leave the quad, talking worriedly. It seemed that the atmosphere had almost instantly changed; everyone had gone from excited to anxious almost immediately.</p><p>            The other Winx girls, however, were looking hopeful. “I mean, we’ve faced decay monsters and Shadowhaunt and the Trix before,” Stella pointed out as they walked up the steps. “How hard could it be? I’m sure we’ll pass!” She began to dance around.</p><p>            “I’m not so sure about that,” said Bloom, who was staring at the ground.</p><p>            “Why not?” Flora asked, feeling worried. First Mirta, then Tecna, and now Bloom. <em>What’s with everyone today?</em></p><p>            “Faragonda said we need to save someone from our realm,” Bloom continued on, “but my homeworld, Domino, was destroyed. Don’t you see?” Her eyes flashed. “Unless Oritel and Marion are still alive, no one will be left. And I’ll never get my Enchantix!”</p><p>***</p><p>            Flora sighed, reaching her apartment. The day had been much more draining than she'd previously thought. What with the announcement, Bloom's problems, and the prospect of Enchantix, she felt exhausted. She opened the door to her room.</p><p>            But someone else was in there.</p><p>            "Mirta!" Flora's heart jumped as she saw Mirta lying on her bed. "Oh my goodness! Are you okay?" She sat down on the bed.</p><p>            Mirta turned her head towards her. "I'm fine," she said. "I was just waiting for you, that's all."</p><p>            "Oh." Flora remembered giving Mirta a key to her apartment. "That's fine." She frowned down at her. "What happened? Your suitemates aren't like Eris, right?"</p><p>            "No," Mirta answered. "Actually – they're Nova and Galatea."</p><p>            "That's great," Flora said, pleased. Nova and Galatea were good girls, and they would help Mirta around as much as they could; she was sure of it. "Then why aren't you spending time with them? Don't you want to get to know your roommates?"</p><p>            "I do," said Mirta, suddenly appearing shy. "But"… Her voice trailed off.</p><p>            "You feel insecure around them," Flora said, finishing her sentence. It was logical; after all, Mirta was a former witch in a fairy's world. She couldn't expect her to <em>not </em>be scared.</p><p>            "Yes," said Mirta. "Look, Flora, I love it here – I can tell this is the place for me. But I can't help but feel sad. Most of the people here are great – but people like Eris"… She trailed off.</p><p>            "I understand how you feel," Flora answered. "But I'll be there with you every step of the way." She frowned. "And don't let Eris get you. Whatever she says, she's <em>wrong</em>."</p><p>            Mirta smiled, gazing up at Flora. Flora gazed down at her with nothing but love in her heart. This beautiful girl, insecure yet resilient in so many ways, was on her way to becoming a fairy. A wonderful, strong-hearted fairy for sure. Flora knew there would be nothing but brilliance in her future.</p><p>            "You are going to be a great fairy," she said, stroking Mirta as she spoke. "Nothing will stop you; I'll make sure of it."</p><p>            "But what about all those other girls?" Mirta asked tearfully. “Will I ever belong here?</p><p>            "I can't say for sure," Flora whispered. "I know prejudices are hard to overcome. And I don't know if they'll ever accept you.”</p><p>            Mirta's eyes began to water. Flora held her tighter, pushing her hair away from her face.</p><p>            "But what I <em>can </em>say is that you can't let their opinions of you pull you down," Flora added. "You've made the transformation from witch to fairy because it was the right thing for <em>you</em>. You can't let them demoralize you. You've done it for the right reasons."</p><p>            Mirta brushed her tears away and looked up at Flora. "Sometimes I wonder whether it was the right decision."</p><p>            "Of <em>course </em>it was." Flora felt a wave of frustration run through her. "Mirta, you're so much more whole and complete now that you've made the change. <em>I </em>can see it."</p><p>            "You call <em>this </em>being whole and complete?" Mirta yelled. "Every day I wonder what I could've done differently to change this! Every day I wonder why I'm like this! So messed up, so broken, so out-of-control"… She began to sob profusely, holding Flora as tightly as she could.</p><p>            "Let it all out," Flora whispered. She lay back down, staring at Mirta's wounded face, how pale and sad she looked at everything. Misery shot through Flora as she stared at her grieving girlfriend.</p><p><em>            I wish I could take this pain away from her</em>, she thought. <em>But this isn't like growing a tomato plant or a flower. This… she needs time to heal. </em>She held Mirta firmly.</p><p>            "I won't ever let you go," she whispered.</p><p>            Silence reigned. Mirta's cries subsided and she looked up at Flora, tears in her eyes. She hugged her tightly.</p><p>            "I knew I could count on you," she said, and then she kissed Flora, full on the lips.</p><p>            The kiss brought Flora into her senses immediately, and she opened her eyes wide. Electricity tingled through her as she kissed Mirta back, keeping the suction between their lips as firm as possible. Her hand went down the back of Mirta's shirt, and she caressed her, never wanting to let go…</p><p>            There was a sudden gasp. A door banged open, pulling Flora out of the moment. She pulled back instantly from Mirta and turned towards the door, her eyes wide.</p><p>            Tecna was standing there, an expression of pure disbelief in her eyes. "Flora?" she asked uncertainly. Behind her, Mirta pulled back in surprise, staring at Tecna.</p><p>            Flora was the first to speak. "Tecna," she breathed, staring at her best friend. "I – what happened?"</p><p>            "You were supposed to meet us at the quad ten minutes and fifty-three seconds ago," said Tecna plainly. "They sent me up to get you. And now" – She drew in a breath as she stared at Flora and Mirta. "I run into this."</p><p>            "Run into <em>what</em>?" Flora asked, a sense of desperation running through her. Now Tecna knew everything, and she wasn't reacting at all in the way Flora had expected. Tecna was staring at Flora, as if she'd changed into a different person entirely. The technology-fairy shook her head.</p><p>            "I know the other girls and I have boyfriends," she said, speaking the last word as if it was still something she needed to get used to. "On my first day at Alfea, I found that shocking enough, how every girl spoke freely about boys. But this – this is something else entirely." She drew in a breath. "I have to go."</p><p>            "Wait!" Flora pulled herself up off the bed. "Don't go! Please, Tecna, explain to me what you mean!"</p><p>            "Flora"… Mirta was tugging on her sleeve, but Flora ignored her.</p><p>            She turned towards Tecna, her eyes distraught. "I don't understand," she said. "Why do you have a problem with Mirta and me? What's the problem with us liking each other?"</p><p>            "It's unnatural, Flora," Tecna responded. "It's just… it's not supposed to happen. Girls aren't supposed to like each other in that way."</p><p>            "Flora!" Mirta called from behind. "You don't have to convince her. It's okay."</p><p>            "No, it's <em>not </em>okay," Flora insisted. She turned to face Tecna. "You're my best friend. I want you to accept me for who I am. I'm a girl who likes other girls – and Mirta most of all. You have to accept that."</p><p>            "Flora," Tecna answered, "it's completely unnatural, and I don't know what to say about it. You… I've never seen you act this way. It's completely irrational."</p><p>            She turned to go, clearly unable to process what had just happened. But Flora's next words stopped her cold.</p><p>            "What exactly <em>is </em>rational about love?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter:<br/>	Tecna spends some time with Timmy, remembering her love for him.<br/>	Valtor starts attacking more realms, getting more on the offensive side.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Valtor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>CHAPTER 6: VALTOR</p><p>            Those words had kept Tecna completely stunned that entire week. She’d barely opened her mouth during meals, classes, and in the dorms. What Flora had said completely shocked her.</p><p><em>            What exactly </em>is <em>rational about love?</em></p><p>            And Tecna could find no fault with that point. There was nothing rational about Flora’s love, or Tecna’s, for that matter. She was heads-over-heels obsessed with a boy from Magix, a boy who coded and programmed in a realm where everyone focused on magical energy. She adored Timmy with all her heart, and nothing would ever change that.</p><p>            That Friday, Quintmensis 11, Tecna settled down to do some work. The work was piling up immensely; although they didn’t have a set final exam, the teachers seemed determined to stuff as much information in their brains as possible. However, that was all far from Tecna’s mind. She was too busy staring at the code sent to her from the lab.</p><p>            This was the first year Vasiliev was still forcing her to program from abroad. Before, he’d let her off during the school year, with the promise that she’d work extra-hard in the summer. This year, however, there was no such promise. It appeared he was getting desperate.</p><p><em>            I wish I could know what it was</em>, Tecna thought. <em>What even </em>is<em> this we’re creating? </em>But she had absolutely no idea. <em>Why do we need to –</em></p><p>            Her head suddenly began to buzz. Startled, Tecna stared as red letters shot across her vision.</p><p>            BREAKING NEWS, it read. LINPHEA IMPOSES SANCTIONS ON ZENITH.</p><p><em>            What? </em>Tecna thought, startled. <em>Linphea did </em>what<em>?</em></p><p>            She immediately went to her tablet and searched for a Magix Modern Matrix article. <em>Let me see what it says. </em>Scanning, she read the words silently.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>            As the trade-war escalates, Linphea has placed sanctions on Zenith. As of Trimensis 20, no magi-fruit will be sold to Zenith.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>            Tecna stared at the screen in dismay. <em>Zenith depends on Linphea for agricultural exports! </em>Although magi-fruit wasn’t an essential item, it was a favorite of the Zenithian nobility, who loved Linphea’s exotic fruit-collection. This was a clear move to debase Zenith.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>            “Linphea’s actions are very disappointing,” Premier Alexandrova said in a statement. “This realm is unable to get over its grudges towards Zenith, and is unable to negotiate with us. It will be on Queen Isabel’s head when our citizens starve.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>            Our citizens are </em>anyways <em>starving</em>, Tecna thought. Not to mention, the situation wasn’t <em>that </em>dire; a lack of magi-fruit wasn’t going to kill anyone. Still, the premier had a very good point, as forty-three-point-four percent of Zenith’s agricultural imports came from Linphea. Not a small number by any imagination. <em>And if Linphea bans any </em>more <em>stuff…</em></p><p>            She hoped Flora hadn’t seen the news yet. She didn’t want to talk to Flora about what was going on with their respective nations, as she was afraid it might ruin their friendship. <em>Let’s hope they resolve things. </em>She went back to her programing when suddenly, her cell phone bleeped.</p><p>            Frustrated, she opened it. <em>Who is it that’s calling? </em>She gasped as she saw Timmy’s ID appear on her screen.</p><p>            “Timmy!” she squealed as soon as she opened the phone.</p><p>            “Tecna!” Timmy grinned at her, his adorable face showing up on her screen. “How’re ya doin’?”</p><p>            “I’m doing well,” she lied, smiling at him. The truth was, her mind was filled with confusion. But seeing Timmy somehow made it all better.</p><p>            “Where are you?” she asked.</p><p>            “I’m right at the quad,” he answered.</p><p>            Tecna started. She ran to her window and saw that he was right. He was on a hover-bike, and once he saw her, he began waving and grinning. “I’m coming,” she cried, and then she transformed.</p><p>            She burst open the windows, flying down to meet him. They hugged and he grinned at her, happy to see her again.</p><p>            “It’s been so long,” he said, in almost a hushed voice.</p><p>            Tecna could understand the feeling. It’d been two months since they’d last spoken, and three months since they’d defeated Darkar. It felt like an age between them, like forever. “I’ve missed you so much,” she admitted.</p><p>            Timmy turned on his hover-bike and mentioned for her to sit behind him. “Let’s go out for a bit.”</p><p>            Tecna hesitated. “Timmy, I’ve got work to do. I have this huge project which needs to be finished tonight. I – I can’t.”</p><p>            “You <em>always </em>have work,” Timmy pouted. “Come on, Tec, let it go for one night. We need some catching-up time.”</p><p>            “I” – Tecna stared at him. How could she say no to his puppy-dog face? Timmy was right; she needed to spend time with him, or her heart would burst. “All right,” she acquiesced, sitting behind him.</p><p>            She laughed as he sped the bike out into Lake Roccaluce. The lake looked beautiful at this time of night. They dismounted and sat down at the lakeside, chatting.</p><p>            “So, how’s your break been?” he asked casually, as if he hadn’t been wondering the entire time.</p><p>            It was a loaded question. Tecna swallowed once, and turned to face him.</p><p>            “I have a lot of work still left over from the break,” she admitted. “Mr. Vasiliev, my boss, is pushing me to finish a bunch of sets by tonight.”</p><p>            “So you said,” Timmy frowned. “But it can’t be <em>that </em>bad, can it? You just have to do some programming, right?”</p><p>            “Yes,” Tecna said, staring at the ground, “every winter.” She squeezed her eyes shut.</p><p>            “Wait a minute, what’s going on?”</p><p>            Tecna opened her eyes. Timmy was frowning at her, his eyes dark.</p><p>            “You said you have this work every winter,” he said, “and that it’s really hard. So”… He took in a breath. “Are you saying that you work <em>every day </em>in the winter?”</p><p>            “Er… Tecna stared up at him. “Yes,” she finally admitted.</p><p>            “That’s horrible!” cried Timmy. “How can he force you to do <em>that</em>?” He stood up immediately. “You need to quit that job!”</p><p>            “Timmy, no!” Tecna cried. “I can’t!”</p><p>            “Even if you don’t say anything to him, <em>I </em>can,” Timmy declared. “Just give me his number and I’ll ring him up.” He sounded more confident that he felt, though, and she knew it.</p><p>            “You don’t understand,” she cried.</p><p>            “Why?” Timmy asked, his voice rising. “You’re not bound to him, Tecna!”</p><p><em>            Yes, I am</em>, thought Tecna. <em>In more ways than you’ll ever know. </em>Nightmarish visions passed through her head, and she nearly cried out. <em>I can’t remember that…</em></p><p>            Timmy stared at her, and frowned. “Tecna, what’s going on?”</p><p>            “Timmy” – she stammered. <em>He can’t know… he can’t know…</em></p><p>            “Tell me,” he answered.</p><p>            “No,” Tecna cried. “If I tell” – She let out a shuddering breath.</p><p>            “Tell what?” Timmy prodded on.</p><p>            Tecna closed her eyes. <em>If I tell, I could be expelled from Alfea… </em>But she wanted so badly to tell. She loved Timmy, and knew that he loved her, too. <em>I can trust him. I have to. </em>She looked up at Timmy.</p><p>            “The only other person who knows is Digit,” she said, “and I didn’t tell her. Digit’s a techno-pixie, so… she knows what I am. But my friends… I can’t tell anyone else.”</p><p>            “Tecna,” said Timmy gently.</p><p>            “I’m not a regular fairy,” she choked out. “I’m a cyborg.” She watched as Timmy stared at her, completely blown away.</p><p>            “You’re a… cyborg?” he said at last.</p><p>            “Yes,” cried Tecna. “I was in an accident when I was very young, Timmy. And the surgeons – they completely <em>transformed </em>me. I’m made of flesh and bone on one side, but the other side is made of steel. Look.” She extended her right arm and pulled off the fleshy covering she always put on top.</p><p>            Timmy stared in amazement as it slid off, revealing steel.</p><p>            “This is what I am,” Tecna continued, her voice trembling as she held her hand up. “I have 3D-printed nerves underneath, and they all connect to a computer interface on my back. And… Timmy?” She took in a breath. “Cyborgs have a terrible status in Zenith, and I’m lucky Mr. Vasiliev even hired me. If I don’t do his work, then I’ll be out of a job for good.”</p><p>            Timmy looked shocked. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell anyone! Tecna – <em>why</em>? Why would you keep Zenith’s horrible legal system to yourself?”</p><p>            “I’m sorry,” Tecna whispered. “It’s not like I don’t trust you. It’s just… if the wrong person finds out, then I’ll have to leave and go home, to a world where there’s nothing but work, work, and more work. And there’s no love, and I wouldn’t be able to see you ever again”… She buried her face in her hands.</p><p>            Timmy came up to her and brushed her shoulder.</p><p>            “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I – I’ll keep your secret, Tec. I swear.” His voice trembled as he spoke. “You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”</p><p>            Her sobs subsided. She looked up at Timmy, and managed a smile. “Thank you,” she breathed. Then she leaned over and kissed him.</p><p>            HEARTBEAT 127.3 BEATS PER MINUTE, flashed across her vision. EMOTIONAL EXCITEMENT DETECTED.</p><p>            Tecna hadn’t seen that flash across her feed since last Duodecemenis. <em>What is this… I’m not supposed to be doing this…</em></p><p>            But she didn’t stop it. She couldn’t, for she was with the boy she liked. She wasn’t going to let anything or anyone get in her way. And so she hugged him, holding him tightly in her embrace.</p><p>            “Thanks for understanding,” she choked out.</p><p>            “No, thank <em>you</em>,” Timmy answered. “You’re so awesome.” He smiled at her. “Now, let’s go back.”</p><p>            They boarded the hoverbike and headed back to Alfea. Tecna’s mind was swirling as they flew, and they landed in the quad.</p><p>            Then she saw Layla running towards Tecna, a wild look in her eyes. “Where’ve you been?” she demanded. “There’s trouble, Tecna! We need your help!”</p><p>            “What?” Timmy demanded, climbing off the bike. “What’s going on?”</p><p>            “Andros is under attack.”</p><p>***</p><p>            “I won’t allow it.” Faragonda shook her head.</p><p>            “But Ms. Faragonda!” Layla protested. “My realm’s under attack!”</p><p>            It was the next morning. The Winx were in Faragonda’s office, protesting. Faragonda lifted a hand to silence them, and shook her head.</p><p>            “Too many things are going on now,” she said. “Until we know what force is attacking the realms, we cannot send you girls. Let the Andros authorities and UR Defense Forces take care of it first.”</p><p>            “We’ve faced villains before!” shouted Stella, outraged. “We’re not helpless little girls!”</p><p>            “I know you aren’t,” Faragonda said. “And I trust in each and every one of you. But not now. I have a gut feeling, and I am going to honor it.”</p><p>            Tecna couldn’t believe what she was hearing. <em>Gut feelings aren’t rational! </em>She stared at Faragonda.</p><p>            “If we had a sixty percent chance of getting injured at Shadowhaunt,” she said, “we probably only have about ten or fifteen percent chance of injury here. Ms. Faragonda, don’t you think you’re being a little” –</p><p>            “I am Headmistress of Alfea, Tecna,” said Faragonda. “And I don’t think I need to remind you the mistakes that come with faulty calculations.”</p><p>            Tecna’s cheeks burned as she remembered how she’d led the other girls to attack the false Professor Avalon last year, to defend Bloom. <em>I was right about him, though! </em>She clenched her fists.</p><p>            “You can’t go,” said Faragonda, and her tone was final.</p><p>            Disheartened, the girls trooped out of the office. Musa and Layla were furious as they walked down the hall, Layla most of all. “I’m not letting my people suffer!” she fumed.</p><p>            “You don’t have to,” a voice called. Mirta was standing in the doorway of their apartment, nodding at them.</p><p>            “Mirta?” asked Tecna uneasily. She still remembered the scene with her and Flora; unease took over her as she frowned. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>            “I just spoke with Riven and Brandon,” she said. “They’re sneaking a ship over here. You’re going to Andros.”</p><p>***</p><p>            "We're approaching the atmosphere," said Riven, looking over at them. "Almost there."</p><p>            Tecna frowned. <em>So many things could go wrong… </em>They'd snuck out with Riven and Brandon, ignoring Faragonda's orders to stay back at Alfea. They'd slept all night on the ship, and now it was Saturday morning in Magix; their disappearance would've been discovered by now. And they would be punished severely upon returning back home.</p><p>            Tecna knew they were taking a risk by going. But she also knew it didn't matter. Layla's realm was much more important than whatever punishment they'd face back at Alfea.</p><p>            As they went down towards the ground, Tecna saw what the problem was. The beautiful, fertile islands of Andros were now under attack by severe thunder-clouds. And by the looks of it, it was more than just a thunderstorm.</p><p>            "I'll do a digi-scan," she offered, pulling out her portable device. She tapped a few buttons, connecting it to the Internet in Andros.</p><p>            HIGH WEATHER ALERT, her brain feed flashed across her vision. MAJOR STORM WATCH ON OLYMPUS ISLANDS.</p><p><em>            Tell me something I don't know</em>, Tecna thought irritably, sending a wave of techno-magic from her internal computer into her device. Then she pointed it towards the clouds, sending it towards the glass and into the clouds.</p><p>            HIGH-ENERGY STATIC CLOUDS, the reading came back to her. LOWEST CLOUDS ONLY ONE SIXTY-EIGHT HUNDRED METERS ABOVE SEA LEVEL. LIKELY MAGICALLY INDUCED.</p><p><em>            Just as I suspected</em>, Tecna thought. She turned towards Riven and frowned. "These clouds have been magically induced," she said.</p><p>            "What?" Layla leapt up in alarm.</p><p>            "That means somebody's close by!" yelled Musa.</p><p>            "I say we go out <em>now</em>, and figure out what's going on," Stella said.</p><p>            "Hold it!" Riven shouted. "You girls are not going anywhere!"</p><p>            "Those clouds are too dangerous," Brandon added. "It's too close for you to go."</p><p>            "We'll just shield ourselves, then," Layla said, skewering him and Riven with dagger eyes. "What are you implying? That we girls aren't strong enough to go on our own?"</p><p>            "Woah, woah!" said Brandon, holding his hands out defensively. "I didn't say that, did I?"</p><p>            "You kinda did, snookums," said Stella, affectionately tapping him on the shoulder.</p><p>            Layla's eyes seemed to burn with fire as she glared at Riven. "You boys always think you're stronger than us."</p><p><em>            Well, we do have forty three-point-eight percent less muscle-mass on average</em>, thought Tecna. <em>What's up with Layla? </em>Riven sighed and threw his hands down.</p><p>            "Fine," he said, "go. Just don't blame us when you get zapped and fried."</p><p>            The ship lower-compartment door opened. The girls transformed and flew towards the storm. Musa closed her eyes.</p><p>            "I'll set up a sonic shield," she said.</p><p>            "Add that to my World Wide Web," Tecna added. The two girls converged their powers, creating a bubble around them.</p><p>            "Let's hit it, then!" Bloom yelled. The six girls flew together, into the clouds.</p><p>            "The Voice of Nature is calling to me!" cried Flora, throwing her hands over her ears. "The lightning is beating up the islands! It's horrible!"</p><p>            "This cloud is insane!" yelled Stella. "It's too strong for us!"</p><p>            All six girls screamed as they were blasted down apart. Tecna cried out as she burst through the cloud, the ground approaching at an alarming rate.</p><p>            "No!" she shouted, creating a digi paraglider to slow her fall. She looked at the other girls and saw they were falling, unable to fly. "Digital net!" she yelled. A net appeared, attached on either side to two tall trees, and the girls hit it, gasping in relief.</p><p>            Then she heard laughter. Loud and high, it came unmistakably from above them. She gasped as she recognized who it was. <em>Oh no…</em></p><p>            "The Trix!" yelled Bloom. "I'd recognize that laugh anywhere!"</p><p>            "How'd they bust outta Omega?" Musa demanded, clenching her fists.</p><p>            Tecna grabbed her device, recalibrating it to sense them. <em>They must be hiding in the clouds… </em>She gasped in alarm as a warning popped up on her screen.</p><p>            "Right above us!" she yelled. "They're about to attack!"</p><p>            The Winx gasped in alarm and flew to the side. Shielded by a bubble, Icy, Darcy, and Stormy flew down, cackling.</p><p>            "You three!" Bloom gasped, firing at them. "It was <em>you </em>who caused the storm!"</p><p>            "Let's get 'em," Layla said grimly. Bloom nodded, and began addressing the girls.</p><p>            "Stella and Musa, you go after Darcy," she said. "Tecna and Flora, deal with Stormy. Layla and I are going to take Icy down!" She and Layla linked hands, flying towards the ice-witch.</p><p>            "Thanks for creating the net to break our fall," Flora said as she joined hands with Tecna.</p><p>            "Don't mention it," said Tecna. "Now, you want to go and take Stormy down?"</p><p>            Flora smiled, and Tecna felt a rush of gratitude towards her. What she had witnessed between Flora and Mirta had not changed their relationship. They would still be close friends. <em>Or as close as we can ever be</em>, she thought, feeling a sense of guilt overcome her. Stormy flew towards them, her teeth bared.</p><p>            "Don't think this is going to be easy," she said. "I'm not giving up."</p><p>            "Well, neither are we!" Tecna snapped back. "Winx Charmix!" She and Flora transformed into their Charmixes, converging their powers together.</p><p>            "Ivy vine!"</p><p>            "Digital snake!"</p><p>            A vine crept from the ground, fortified with techno-powers. Stormy smirked, then gasped with shock and rage as the vine encircled her, tying her up. She fell down, gasping.</p><p>            Tecna looked over and saw that Musa and Stella had defeated Darcy, and she had fallen to the ground. Icy, on the other wing, was still just as strong as ever.</p><p>            "No!" she yelled, and a blast of cold energy shot across the islands. The vines trapping Stormy turned to ice, and then broke open. Stormy smirked as she flew up, facing Tecna and Flora again.</p><p>            "Don't think we're giving up that easily," Tecna snapped, her hands filling with digital energy. "Not until you dismantle the storm you created!"</p><p>            "She didn't create the storm," a voice said behind her. Tecna and Flora gasped as a wave of energy hit them, and they toppled to the ground. The hit was like a punch in the guts to Tecna, and she winced, turning around on her back and staring up.</p><p>            "<em>I </em>did," the voice continued. Tecna stared in horror as a man emerged from the clouds, smiling.</p><p>            He had long colorless hair and stormy gray eyes. He was wearing a handsome coat, and was grinning deviously. The Trix flew up to join him, laughing as well.</p><p>            "I am Valtor," he announced as he flew down. "Destroyer of realms, creator of chaos. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He bowed.</p><p>            "You"… Bloom stared at him, at a loss for words. "I saw you on Solaria!"</p><p><em>            She did? </em>thought Tecna, irritation rising up inside of her. <em>Why does no one tell me anything? </em>The wizard was smirking as well.</p><p>            "Oh yes," he said. "I saw you too." He flew towards Layla, who glared at him contemptuously. "Greetings, princess of Andros."</p><p>            "I'm not afraid of <em>you</em>," Layla spat back. "I fought shadow-monsters and the Shadow Phoenix himself last spring! Clear out and remove these clouds!"</p><p>            "You're not in a position to bargain, my princess," Valtor drawled, and the Trix laughed maniacally. "Your attitude is rather unbecoming, I must say."</p><p>            "Shut up!" Layla slammed him with an attack, her strongest Charmix spell.</p><p>            But Valtor simply caught it in his hand, holding it at bay. Tecna gasped out loud at the sheer power in his hands, and he turned towards Layla, his eyes blazing.</p><p>            "Princess of Andros! Meet your fate with dignity! Once I take over this dimension, you shall forever be a reminder to all of what happens if they dare to confront I, the wizard Valtor!" He turned her spell against her, combined with his own magical energy, and shot it straight into her eyes.</p><p>            Layla screamed as she was blasted to the ground. Musa hollered in alarm and flew down to her friend.</p><p>            "Layla!" she yelled.</p><p>            The Trix and Valtor were laughing. "Later, losers," Icy crooned. With a snap of Valtor's fingers, the four of them vanished.</p><p>            "What happened?" Bloom demanded as they flew down to Layla.</p><p>            Layla stared blankly at them, and Tecna was shocked at what she saw. What had once been two sets of vibrant, sea-blue eyes were now clouded and misty. <em>Almost as if she's –</em></p><p>            "Blind," Layla said, finishing her thought. "I can't see anything." She let out a gasp. "Now however am I going to save my realm?"</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Coral Scepter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What are we going to do?" Stella demanded.</p><p>The six girls were standing together on the beach. Flora stared at Layla in distress, stunned at what she saw. <em>How are we going to break this spell? </em>She closed her eyes.</p><p>"Soothing pollen!" she said, sending her magic into Layla's eyes. She concentrated all of her energy on healing them, grimacing and pointing.</p><p>"Stop!" yelled Layla. "You're making it hurt even worse!"</p><p>"It's going to take more than just Winx to get her eyes back," said Tecna, and Flora sat back, defeated. "I don't know what we're going to do."</p><p>Musa looked towards the shore in alarm. "Um, guys, incoming!"</p><p>Three mutants were approaching them. Their eyes were menacing, and they had wide, feral teeth. They opened their mouths and flew towards them, pointing their spears.</p><p>"RUN!" Musa shouted, grabbing Layla's hand and flying her away. Stella shot an attack towards them. "Take that, you jerks!" she yelled.</p><p>But nothing happened; the mutants didn't seem at all fazed by their attacks. If anything, they just made them angrier. Stella stared back in horror.</p><p>"How is that possible?" she yelled.</p><p>"I don't know, Stell!" Bloom answered. "Come on, let's get out of here before" –</p><p>THWACK! A discus slammed into the mutants, felling them and forcing them to the ground. A pink-haired man caught the discus, and turned towards them with a smirk. "Miss us?" he asked.</p><p>"Riven!" yelled Musa. "Am I glad to see you!"</p><p>"What did you do?" Bloom asked, staring at the mutants.</p><p>"He stunned them," Brandon answered. "We found docking for the ship near the palace, and spoke with some of the guards. Turns out those mutants are actually merfolk, spelled by this wizard guy to turn on their own people!"</p><p>"What?" cried Layla. "My own people? Valtor's done this to them?"</p><p>"Oh, so that's his name?" Riven snorted. "He's a nasty piece of work, if you ask me. We should've never let you girls go out by yourselves – clearly you couldn't handle him."</p><p>Musa glared at him. "Never mind, I take that back"…</p><p>"Princess Layla!" a voice called. Layla turned in the direction of the voice, wincing.</p><p>"Princess Tressa!" she called. A red-haired mermaid appeared at the surface of the water, gasping.</p><p>"What happened to your eyes?" she gasped. "Did Valtor spell them, just like he did to everyone else?"</p><p>"Yes!" cried Layla. "What's happening, Tressa? What can we do?"</p><p>"Well, Valtor's taken the Realm Wide Web down," Tressa answered. "He created this horrible storm that kills wildlife and creates havoc. Then, he turned the merfolk into his servants. We estimate about one hundred civilians and half the Royal Guard are under his command" –</p><p>"Where's King Neptune and Queen Ligea?" asked Layla.</p><p>"My family's imprisoned," Tressa said sadly. "I'm the only one who escaped – oh!" She threw her hands over her eyes.</p><p><em>What? </em>thought Flora. <em>What's going on? </em>She stared as Tressa let out a wail.</p><p>"I'm a coward," she wept. "I fled when I was needed the most! I failed to save my brothers, my parents, everyone" –</p><p>"Don't you worry, Tressa," said Layla. "We'll get them back."</p><p>"We sure will!" added Bloom.</p><p>"Let's go and find them," added Stella.</p><p>Flora stared at them in alarm. "Wait, guys, we need a plan! I don't like the sound of this!"</p><p>"What do you mean?" Musa frowned at Flora.</p><p>"We got overconfident before," said Flora. "Because of that, he was able to put the spell on Layla's eyes."</p><p>"That's what I said before, and no one listened to me," Riven added. Musa hissed at him.</p><p>"Cut it out!" she yelled. "Flo, I don't see what plan we can come up with."</p><p>"Actually, Flora's right," Tecna said. "An unplanned ambush is thirty-three-point-five percent more likely to fail than a planned one."</p><p>"He blinded you completely?" Tressa asked, staring at Layla in wonder. "Well, once we free my mother, she can heal them. She has a coral scepter with healing powers. Don't worry, she'll heal you in no time."</p><p>Just then, the mutants woke up. They turned towards the Winx, snapping and snarling.</p><p>"Okay, Flora, here's our plan!" Bloom said. "Specialists, you fight the mutants. Winx, let's go find Queen Ligea!"</p><p>"Get going, girls!" Brandon yelled as he drew his sword.</p><p><em>This can't end well</em>, Flora thought uneasily as Layla created water-repelling bubbles for their heads. They swam down into the water, following Tressa into the sea's depths.</p><p>Swimming was a lot harder than flying. Flora continually gasped for air as she burrowed down into the depths, wincing at the coldness of the water. <em>Will our attacks even work down here?</em></p><p>"There's the palace," said Tressa in a hushed voice. "But the Kraken… it's there."</p><p>"Kraken?" asked Flora, puzzled. "What's that?"</p><p>"It's an undersea monster," said Layla, "used by royal families of undersea kingdoms to keep guard of their kingdoms. It looks like the Kraken has turned against the family and gone under Valtor's command."</p><p><em>That can't be good</em>, thought Flora nervously. Her heart beat wildly as the ground began to shake.</p><p>A monster with twelve tentacles appeared, bellowing menacingly. It had plum-colored skin and tongues the color of vomit. Stella let out a yell.</p><p>"Eww!" she said. "Tressa, I don't think mermaids have good taste in guard!"</p><p>"The Kraken is only summoned in times of need!" Tressa protested. "It's never summoned like <em>this</em>. I – oh, no!"</p><p>The Kraken lunged at them, grabbing Layla around the waist. Layla let out a yell as she was dragged into the sea.</p><p><em>No! </em>Flora stared at it. <em>You picked out the weakest one of us! That isn't fair!</em></p><p>"After her!" Bloom yelled.</p><p>"Wait!" cried Tressa. "What about my family?"</p><p>"You go and free them," Bloom answered. "We'll buy you some time and keep the Kraken busy!"</p><p>The Winx swam furiously into the water, but the Kraken was much, much faster. They panted as they swam, rushing towards it.</p><p>"I can transport us there!" Stella said, grabbing her ring and transforming it into her scepter. "Take us!" The Winx appeared in front of the Kraken, glaring at it.</p><p>"Sonic blast!" yelled Musa.</p><p>"Digital zap!" cried Tecna.</p><p>The spells momentarily stunned the Kraken; other than that, they did nothing. The Winx stared at each other in horror.</p><p>"No way!"</p><p>"Layla, we're not giving up on you!"</p><p>Layla was struggling and yelling. Flora closed her eyes, and concentrated her power.</p><p>"Ivy barrier!" she yelled. Ivy began to shoot up, blocking the Kraken's exit. It let out a bellow and tore at the barrier.</p><p>"Digital web!" added Tecna, blocking the Kraken's mobility. It let out an even fiercer bellow.</p><p>Flora watched in horror as the ivy vine and web broke apart. The monster advanced on them, snarling.</p><p>"Oh no!" yelled Stella. "Looks like it wants us next!"</p><p>"Fire arrow!" yelled Bloom.</p><p>But her dragon-fire was noticeably much weaker underwater, and it had little effect on the Kraken. In fact, all of their powers were weak. The Kraken advanced on them, glaring and snarling.</p><p><em>What are we going to do? </em>thought Flora helplessly. <em>Are we all going to become Kraken food now? Is this it?</em></p><p>"No!" a voice shouted. A mermaid, carrying a sword, was charging towards them. She slashed off three of the Kraken's tentacles, including the one that was holding Layla. Flora, being closest to Layla at that moment, swam forward and grabbed her hand.</p><p>"Tressa!" the girls shouted in relief. "Queen Ligea!"</p><p>The queen smiled at all of them. "Thank you for your bravery," she said. "If it wasn't for you girls, my Tressa would've never found that bravery within her as well" –</p><p>The cave began to crumble. Flora looked up in horror as rocks began to fall, narrowly missing them. She darted to the side as one large boulder nearly fell on her and Layla.</p><p>"I say we get outta here before this cave goes bust!" Musa yelled. "Let's go!"</p><p>The Winx all sped up through the cave's opening, fighting against gravity as they fled upwards. Flora held firmly onto Layla's hand, pulling her close to her.</p><p>"We're not letting you go again," she said protectively.</p><p>They all made it out of the cracks just as the rocks fell. Flora breathed a sigh of relief. <em>Okay, now we can get to the shore…</em></p><p>"My mother promised she'll use her healing coral gem for you," Tressa said.</p><p>"Thank you, Queen Ligea," breathed Layla. "But what about King Neptune, Prince Nereus, and Prince Tritannus? What happened to them?"</p><p>Queen Ligea smiled sadly. "It'll take more than just the eight of us to free them. They are guarded much more heavily than I, by mutants and the Kraken alike. The king of Andros will have to sponsor a mission to free them. But in the meantime, we must hurry to cure Layla's eyesight. I know of an island that is not yet inhabited by thunder-clouds, but will be by tomorrow morning. But we must go now, for we only have until the last rays of twilight. Once the clouds take over the entire realm, the sun will not rise on Andros for a good few months."</p><p>"Then we'd better hurry!" Panting, Bloom pushed herself through the water, with Stella, Musa, and Tecna following close behind. Flora and Layla swam at a slower pace. Tressa and the queen were faster swimmers, being mermaids, but they remained in the rear to watch out for any danger, as their attack spells were strong underwater.</p><p>Flora looked up and saw the surface ahead. "Is that the island right there?" she asked.</p><p>"Yes," affirmed the queen. "That's the island we're looking for."</p><p>"Stella, do you think you can transport us there?" she asked. "It's close enough, right?"</p><p>"It sure is!" said Stella, grabbing her ring. "Good thinking, Flor" –</p><p>Suddenly, a roar sounded from below. Flora and Layla gasped in alarm. "What <em>is </em>that?" cried Layla.</p><p>THWACK! Something hit Queen Ligea in the back. She gasped, her body shuddering as she fell through the water.</p><p>"Mother!" cried Tressa, swimming down to grab her. "No!" Flora looked downwards, and saw what it was.</p><p>It was the Kraken, freed from its enclosure.</p><p>"Winx Convergence, <em>now</em>!" yelled Bloom. The six girls, including Layla, joined hands underwater, focusing all their energy on the Kraken. The Kraken shuddered once, and then fell to the bottom of the sea.</p><p>"The Kraken isn't dead," said Layla. "Now that ring of yours would be a good idea, Stella!"</p><p>Stella expanded her ring into the scepter. "Transport us!" she yelled. In a matter of seconds, the seven girls and mermaid queen were transported to the surface.</p><p>Queen Ligea was right – the island wasn't taken over by darkness. But only a few sun rays shone from the horizon, and it would only be a matter of time before the sun disappeared completely.</p><p>"The wound the Kraken dealt is fatal," Tressa sobbed.</p><p>Flora looked over and saw the queen with alarm. She was slowly dying, her breath becoming shallower and shallower by the minute. Layla took the scepter from Tressa and held it.</p><p>"I can feel there's only enough power to heal one of us," she said. "I'm going to heal the queen. She's more important." Her blind eyes flashed. "Even if darkness descends all over Andros and I never get my eyesight back again, I will not let Queen Ligea die. Fear not, Tressa. Your mother will live!" She held the coral scepter high in the air, then held it to the queen's heart.</p><p>Queen Ligea gasped as color began to return to her face. The wound on her backside disappeared, and she began to breathe normally again. She opened her eyes, and faced Layla.</p><p>"Thank you"… she murmured.</p><p>"You saved her!" cried Tressa. "Thank you so much, Layla!"</p><p>As she spoke, a white light began to descend on Layla. Flora gasped as Layla let go of her hand and was drawn up to the sky.</p><p>"What's happening?" gasped Stella.</p><p>A blinding flash shined over her. The Winx gasped, closing their eyes at its brilliance. When it was over, they stared up, amazed at what had just happened.</p><p>Layla was hovering in midair. She was wearing a green, pink, and yellow top with purple highlights, and a striped green, pink, and yellow skirt. A lime-green band had wound its way around her throat, with a purple-and-pink pouch. She wore lime-green barefoot sandals, and her hair had been done up with a pink net. She had lime-green wings, more colorful and ornate than they'd ever been before.</p><p>"Layla – you got your Enchantix!" Musa gasped.</p><p>"Way to go!" Stella cheered. "We've only had a week of classes, and you kicked that final exam's butt!"</p><p>But Flora could tell something was still wrong. She frowned as she stared up at Layla's eyes, her milky white eyes. And then, she knew immediately what the problem was.</p><p>Layla's transformation hadn't healed her. To her, everything was still dark.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Night of a Millennium</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sunday morning dawned sunny and unseasonably cold. The ship zoomed towards Alfea, and Riven activated the dashboard for landing.</p><p>"We'll drop you off at the gate," said Brandon. "Your teachers must be worried sick about you."</p><p>"Yeah, they probably are," Bloom murmured.</p><p>Stella rolled her eyes. "Well, screw that. Saving Andros was far more important."</p><p>"We didn't save anything, Stella," Layla pointed out. "We saved Queen Ligea, but the rest of the mermaid royalty is still imprisoned. Andros is still under threat by a hurricane."</p><p>"Yeah, well, I'm sure Andros will stabilize," Stella said, trying to cheer the situation. Layla sighed.</p><p><em>The situation is much direr than we thought</em>, thought Tecna. <em>Those were some dreadful mutants. </em>She sighed. <em>And who was that Valtor man? How will </em>he <em>threaten the Magical Dimension?</em></p><p>The ship landed. The girls climbed off, but not before giving Stella time to hug her boyfriend. "Bye, snookums," she said.</p><p>"See you later, Stell," Brandon smiled.</p><p>The ship took off as the girls entered Alfea's gate. Several other girls were in the quad, and they let out a gasp.</p><p>"Layla! What happened to her eyes?"</p><p>"Where did they go?"</p><p>"Great heavens, there you are," a voice said. Tecna looked up as Griselda stared down at them from the balcony. "You girls gave us such a fright and – Layla! What happened?"</p><p>"It's a long, unflattering story," said Layla.</p><p>"Well, we want to hear every word of it," said Faragonda, joining Griselda. "Come up to my office and we'll discuss this further."</p><p>The girls transformed and flew up to the balcony, joining the two teachers. The fairies let out a gasp.</p><p>"Ooh! Layla has new wings!"</p><p>"Did she get her Enchantix?"</p><p>"But what <em>happened</em>?"</p><p>They sat down in the office. Layla told Faragonda every bit of the story, and she nodded her head. Then she motioned to the pendant around Layla's neck.</p><p>"Layla," she said, "you have the power to break the spell that has been cast upon you."</p><p>"I do?" Layla stared at the ground.</p><p>Faragonda sighed. "I suppose the time for secrecy is over. Layla, you are now an Enchantix fairy. The first of this graduating class, in fact." Her voice was filled with praise, but also a certain wariness that Tecna couldn't figure out. <em>What is she so worried about?</em> "And as an Enchantix fairy, you have the power to break this enchantment. You have fairy dust."</p><p>"Fairy dust?" Musa asked in confusion. "Witches always use that term derisively. Why do they do that?"</p><p>"That is because they are afraid of it," Faragonda answered. "We have a power that they do not. It is the power to break all enchantments with evil intention." She nodded to Layla. "Now, summon your fairy dust."</p><p>"How do I do that?" Layla asked.</p><p>"You take the pouch off your neck," Faragonda responded. "The rest will be intuitive. Now, we are all waiting."</p><p>Layla grabbed her pouch from her neck. Tecna watched as she held it in the air, closing her eyes. The purple pouch opened to reveal lavender fairy-dust. She sprinkled it over her eyes.</p><p>Power surged through the air. A warm feeling, soothing and gentle, washed over them. Tecna stared in astonishment. <em>That… that's what happened when Faragonda healed Stella! </em>She stared in astonishment.</p><p>Layla's eyes lost their milky cloudiness. The haze faded away to reveal their normal, brilliant sea blue. She gasped in delight as she looked around.</p><p>"I can see!" she cried in joy.</p><p>"That's our girl Layla!" Musa cheered, running to her and grabbing her in a hug. Bloom, Flora, and Stella joined in; after some hesitation, Tecna joined in as well.</p><p><em>That </em>was <em>really amazing</em>, she admitted to herself. <em>I hope that someday, I'll be able to do that myself. </em>She held Flora and Layla tight.</p><p>"Hold it!" Griselda ordered. "Break it up, young ladies. There's still the matter of punishment."</p><p>Uncertainly, the girls pulled back. Tecna could make out Faragonda holding back a smile as Griselda moved forward, shaking her finger.</p><p>"We have decided on your punishment," she said. Black bands appeared over their wrists, and Tecna gasped, immediately reverting back to her civilian form. "Now, your punishment is to restack the shelves of the library, <em>without </em>magic."</p><p>"And on top of all your coursework," added Faragonda. "From five to nine p.m. every night, you will work in the library. We'll put these on for you every day at five, and take them off at nine."</p><p>"Well, that can't be too bad," Stella grinned. "How many books <em>are </em>there in that library, anyways?"</p><p>"Only three hundred forty-six thousand, eight hundred and twenty-five," said Tecna.</p><p>Stella gasped. "Three hundred <em>thousand</em>?"</p><p>"How'd you come up with that number, Tecna?" asked Flora.</p><p>"Yeah," said Musa. "How'd you know that?"</p><p>Tecna's cheeks burned. She'd always been a skillful memorizer; in order to survive on Zenith, there was no way to <em>not </em>be. In her first year at Alfea, she'd done a scan of the library to make sure it was as impressive as she'd thought it was.</p><p>"Yes," she said defensively. "But that doesn't include the Restricted section. I couldn't scan that with my device." <em>Or my brain</em>, she thought privately.</p><p>"You won't be doing the Restricted section, anyways," Griselda answered. "Now you can work in the library all day. You'll want to finish a sizeable amount now; classes resume tomorrow." With a hand-wave, she dismissed the girls.</p><p>***</p><p>What with classes, sorting the library, and Mr. Vasiliev's work, Tecna's schedule had never been busier. It was worse than home, when she'd been doing the laboratory work full-time.</p><p>At home, she usually got five to six hours of sleep. Now in Alfea, she barely got one. There were some nights when she didn't sleep at all. In between classes, she snuck up to the dorm and took quick, fifteen-minute naps.</p><p>She told herself it was a punishment for her laziness. After all, she was nowhere near as productive as most of the other people she knew. Other interns in Mr. Vasiliev's lab worked fourteen hours a day without stopping. She was only working eight hours every night; what did she have to complain about?</p><p>She'd tried working in the dorm room once, but Musa had complained about Tecna's typing and how she couldn't sleep. So Tecna had moved to the sitting-room of the apartment. There, she was able to cast a silencing-spell so no one would be disturbed by her typing. She became an expert at brewing Readiness Potions and All-Nighter recipes, so no one would think she was working so long. And since Musa was fast asleep by the time she went to the dorm, no one questioned her. Besides, Valtor was the talk of Magix; Andros's magical relics had been stolen, along with Melody's and Solaria's. Faragonda was trying to quell the worry on campus, but it was obvious something was coming to the Magical Dimension.</p><p>In the meantime, the bullying hadn't ceased. Although Mirta's new friends, Galatea and Nova, walked with her everywhere around campus, Eris and her friends didn't stop going after Mirta. They hexed her in the hallways and sent magical origami to attack her at odd hours of the day.</p><p>Flora confided her worries with Tecna one day in the apartment, while they were both working on potions' homework.</p><p>"I'm so worried about Mirta," she said. "During other classes, I’ve heard that Eris and her friends keep shooting hexes at her, making fun of her because she can’t cast spells the same way they can. Layla and I always make sure to watch out for her during Potions, but nothing ever happens during that class – since most of us there are seniors, the girls in that class don’t care enough to cause her trouble. Since I’ve never actually <em>seen </em>Eris’s gang hurt her, my words don’t carry much weight, and Nova and Galatea are too scared to do anything. We've spoken to Griselda twice, but we weren't able to prove that Eris was the culprit. And for all her bravado, Griselda can't do much about Eris."</p><p>"Really?" Tecna asked absentmindedly.</p><p>"Yes," Flora cried, "because Eris has a lot of power, unfortunately. Her parents are on the school board! Faragonda only narrowly managed to convince the rest of the school board to let Mirta in. Griselda doesn't like Eris’s behavior any more than the rest of us, but she doesn't want to overstep her role and have the school board revoke Mirta’s admission!"</p><p>"That doesn’t sound good at all," Tecna said in alarm. <em>If </em>Griselda<em>'s scared of someone, then it must be bad…</em></p><p>"It <em>is</em>," Flora agreed. "What should I do, Tec? How do I make this better?"</p><p>"First of all, stop going to Griselda," Tecna advised. "She can give a few punishments, but it's not going to make things better. The girls are still going to bully Mirta."</p><p>"Then what do I do?" Flora protested. "I can't just let this keep happening! I need to make it stop!"</p><p>"Wait it out," Tecna responded. "The girls will get tired if Mirta puts up a brave face and doesn't respond to any of their comments; it's only logical, after all. In that time, Mirta will improve in her coursework."</p><p>"Okay," said Flora uneasily. "I'll try."</p><p>Tecna wished she could give better advice to her friend, but knew it was impossible. For starters, she wasn't good with this kind of thing. For another, she had too many worries on her own head to truly care about anyone else. The more work she did for Vasiliev, the worse she did in class.</p><p>The only person who really noticed her poor performance, initially at least, was Professor Avalon. He pulled her back after class to speak with her.</p><p>"You got a C on the test," he said. "I know everyone does badly once in a while, Tecna, but this isn't like you. I read all of your reports from last year, from this class" –</p><p>"You mean from the fake you?" Tecna asked bluntly. She still had a hard time talking to Avalon, especially considering how his imposter had double-crossed all of them last year. The real Avalon's cheeks went bright red.</p><p>"Yes," he said, awkwardly, "but regardless of how he betrayed everyone last year, he still had to maintain appearances; therefore, he never strayed from the curriculum. And he always wrote glowing praise about you – although his tone changed halfway through the year. I can't imagine why."</p><p>"You mean after I singed his clothes off," Tecna said, holding back a smirk at the memory.</p><p>"Perhaps," Avalon nodded. "But even then, you always scored very highly in his class. Tecna, is there something going on in your life? From the little I've seen, you're a very bright student, and" –</p><p>"It's none of your business," Tecna said abruptly. "In any case, let me be clear: I don't have time for this. Let me just do what I need to do."</p><p>She caught Avalon's pained expression as she stalked away, muttering under her breath. But she had no time for that now.</p><p>All she could think of was algorithms, coding, and more algorithms. <em>I can't stop now… </em>She sighed, lowering her gaze to the floor.</p><p>***</p><p>Two weeks passed. The girls finally finished sorting the library, and gazed at their work, pleased with themselves.</p><p>"We finished early – and we have half-an-hour to spare before Faragonda and Griselda come for inspection!" Stella cheered.</p><p>"In that case, why don't we have a good girl-talk?" Bloom asked.</p><p>"Yeah!" Musa grinned. "It's been a while since we've had one."</p><p>"I'll brew some tea," Flora said, rushing to get her teapot and herbs.</p><p>Five minutes later, the girls were sitting cross-legged on the floor. Flora poured each of the girls tea, and Tecna sipped hers, loving the taste of Linphean herbs and nectar. <em>She always does a really good job… </em>Stella grinned towards the girls.</p><p>"So, let's talk about my favorite subject!" she laughed. "Boys!"</p><p>"I can't wait to see Sky again," Bloom grinned. "We haven't been allowed to go out all week, but he promised we'd do something special together soon."</p><p>"Yeah, you've got the perfect guy," Stella laughed, "all thanks to me, dawling!"</p><p><em>What? </em>Flora looked as if she was about to burst into giggles. Tecna stared at Stella in disbelief, and asked, "Are you completely sane, Stella?"</p><p>"Of course I am!" Stella grinned. "I am bonded with the pixie of <em>love </em>for a reason. Amore and I make the best team ever. In fact" – she looked towards Flora and Layla, "I think you boyless gals will be able to find someone pretty soon."</p><p>"Oh no." Musa stood up. "Stella, you are <em>not </em>trying that matchmaking stuff again. We are not going through with that!"</p><p><em>I don't blame her… </em>thought Tecna. She remembered last year, when Stella had set Musa up with Jared without her knowing. Musa hadn't forgiven Stella for quite some time.</p><p>"Yeah, no," Layla said. "I'm happy the way I am. Besides, I don't exactly have a choice in who I marry. My parents will pick someone for me in a decade's time."</p><p>"Your loss." Stella turned to Flora. "So, who's <em>your </em>dream guy?"</p><p>Tecna saw her friend look startled. <em>Uh oh… </em>The nature-fairy composed herself, trying to look as natural as possible. "I haven't really thought about it."</p><p>"Oh please!" Stella laughed. "It's every girl's dream to be swept off her feet by an adorable guy!"</p><p>"Not mine, apparently," Flora looked at the ground.</p><p><em>She's getting dangerously close to the subject</em>, Tecna thought, knowing full-well that Flora hadn't told the others that she was dating Mirta. <em>I don't think she wants them to know…</em></p><p>"So, what's your type, Flora?" Bloom asked. "Is he boisterous and brave? Or artistic and quiet?"</p><p>"I" – Flora stammered.</p><p>"Probably artsy and mega-silent," Stella grinned. "And shy. Don't worry, Flora, I'm sure you'll find someone this year!"</p><p><em>Okay</em>, thought Tecna, her head spinning. <em>Please let this end. </em>She turned around and saw Faragonda and Griselda walk in. "They're here!" she shouted.</p><p>"<em>Food in the library</em>?" Griselda asked, narrowing her eyes.</p><p>"Er" – Musa said sheepishly.</p><p>"Sorry, Ms. G," Stella said cheerfully. "We promise not to spill it on the floor."</p><p>"It would be a shame, especially considering how spotless you made this library," Faragonda said. "In fact, I believe your punishment is to be lifted."</p><p>"Oh, and by the way, Bloom, this came for you in the mail," added Griselda, thrusting her a fancy envelope.</p><p>Tecna gazed at it. The envelope was embroidered in gilt, and shined brilliantly with cursive writing: <em>From the Royal Family of Eraklyon</em>. Bloom gasped.</p><p>"Open it!" breathed Stella.</p><p>Bloom tore it open. Breathless, the girls read the card, gazing over Bloom's shoulder:</p><p>
  <em>Miss Bloom Peters of Earth:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You have hereby been invited to the Kingdom of Eraklyon's millennium anniversary ball, 1 Sextmensis 1012. You have been named the guest of honor of His Highness, Prince Sky Achilles Chiron of Eraklyon. Please arrive in formal attire at 16:00 sharp.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Thank you,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Royal Family of Eraklyon</em>
</p><p>Below that was a personal note, which Bloom read to herself. When she read it, her eyes were shining. "Can you believe it? Sky wants to formally announce me as his official girlfriend!"</p><p>Tecna stared at the invitation, amazed. <em>A party… </em>She could hardly believe what was going on.</p><p>"Woo-hoo!" shouted Stella. "We're doing some mega-shopping now! I need a new dress, and so do you, Tecna! 'Cause you're not backing out of this one!"</p><p><em>I'm going? </em>Tecna stared at Stella in surprise. <em>I wonder if Timmy will take me? </em>A part of her, the part she'd trained the hardest, shouted at her, <em>No, you can't go. You have work to do. </em>But the other part of her, the part that had grown more and more vocal now that she was away from her parents, said: <em>Go. It's just for one night, isn't it? You'll make it up the day after. And the day after, and the day after…</em></p><p>"Haven't you forgotten something?" Faragonda asked.</p><p>Tecna jumped. Faragonda was eyeing Bloom and Stella with a smile on her face. "You've forgotten something, haven't you?"</p><p>"Oh!" Bloom jumped nervously. "Um… can we please go to the ball, Headmistress? Please?"</p><p>"Certainly," said Faragonda with a smile. "You'll miss homecoming, but I can imagine this is much more exciting."</p><p>"Yay!" shouted Stella. "Let's hit the mall!"</p><p>***</p><p>The work was starting to get worse. Vasiliev had started setting weekly quotas for her, and was having her finish three-thousand sets of algorithms per week. It would've been difficult enough at her home realm, but while juggling five classes on the side, it was nearly impossible.</p><p>To help mitigate her work, Tecna asked Digit to do some of her homework for her. Digit protested initially, but then acquiesced once Tecna told her how much work she had to do on the side.</p><p>"You have to do <em>that </em>much?" she asked, horror-struck. "Tecna, I don't get it. Why do you have to make so many algorithms?"</p><p>"It's the company I work for," Tecna answered. "Don't worry, Digit. If I'm efficient, I'll get today's work done in six hours and thirty-five-point-two minutes."</p><p>"That's <em>still</em> too much!" Digit paced around. "No wonder you don't have any time for anything else!"</p><p>"Please, Digit," Tecna begged her. "Look, I swear you won't have to do this for too long. The work will come to a close soon; Mr. Vasiliev never has me work into the school year. I'm sure that, a few weeks from now, I'll be fine."</p><p>This was a complete lie; Vasiliev had never said anything about the work letting up. In fact, he'd made it sound like the complete opposite. Digit sighed and shook her head.</p><p>"You're my bonded fairy, Tecna," she said, "and I'll do this for you. I can tell this work is really important to you." She settled on the table and opened her portable laptop.</p><p>Digit wasn't wrong about that; the work <em>was </em>very important to Tecna. <em>But not for the reason she thinks… </em>The two of them worked side-by-side in silence, Digit humming to herself as she looked up the answers to DuFour's worksheet on aeroflynamics.</p><p>Tecna smiled down at her pixie, who, attentively as ever, focused on her work. <em>I knew I could count on her… </em>It reminded her of that day last Sextmensis, after they'd bonded in the Alfea quad…</p><p>The two of them had been cuddled up in Tecna and Musa's room, playing computer games. Bloom, Stella, and Musa had been out on dates, and Flora had been visiting Mirta in the hospital. As Tecna wasn't dating Timmy yet, she was with Digit, and the two of them cheered as their WinxCart sped across the racetrack.</p><p>"Oh, yeah!"</p><p>"Great programming!"</p><p>"Here's to future engineers!"</p><p>Tecna smiled; she hadn't been this happy in a long time. Bloom, Stella, and Layla's mission had been extraordinarily stressful for her, Flora, and Musa; many a night had been spent anxiously watching them on Realmwide Maps. In the stress that had ensued, one of her spinal circuits had gone undone, which at times made it difficult to move her fingers. But now her friends had come home safely, which left Tecna free to play with her new pixie friend. <em>Even with my fingers not at full function, I can still play this game pretty well.</em></p><p>"It was nothing," she said modestly. "Nothing you couldn't have done without me."</p><p>She flicked the screen to the next level. She was about to hit START when Digit added, "So, I've been meaning to ask you: how annoying is that broken circuit in your spine?"</p><p>Tecna gasped out loud, turning around to face Digit. <em>How did she know? </em>The pixie sighed.</p><p>"I'm a techno-pixie, okay?" she said. "I can sense your wiring. And you've got a lot of it. In fact, I'd say you have enough electricity to light this entire school up."</p><p>"You can't tell anyone, Digit," Tecna whispered. "If you tell anyone, I'll be expelled from Alfea. Cyborgs are forbidden from attending UR Defense Schools!"</p><p>"Well, that's a load of glitches," Digit said indignantly. "You're so good at coding, and they don't want you to train to defend the world! What are they scared of, exactly?"</p><p>"That's how the world is," Tecna said sadly. "You have to promise me, Digit. Promise you won't tell anyone."</p><p>"I've got your back, Tecna," said Digit, flying up to Tecna's spine. "Quite literally." She snuck under Tecna's shirt.</p><p>"I'll fix your broken wiring for you," she assured her friend. "Just hold still for a moment." She concentrated her magic on Tecna's spine.</p><p>Tecna gasped as electrical energy tingled up her spine, connecting every nerve into one big tree. She felt her fingers tingle, and then a bold surge of magic zapped them, sending life into her hand.</p><p>She gingerly wiggled her fingers. <em>Unbelievable… </em>Whereas it would've taken her a good portion of any evening to figure out her problem, Digit had fixed it in mere seconds. She smiled at her bonded pixie.</p><p>"Thank you so much," she breathed.</p><p>"No problem," Digit smiled. "Oh, and by the way, your secret's safe with me. I won't tell a soul." She flew towards the screen. "Now, how about the next level?"</p><p>And now, they were working on their work and assignments, respectively. Side-by-side, fairy and pixie worked until midnight, when, worn out by the amount of work, they both fell asleep.</p><p>As the week passed by, Linphean-Zenithian relationships plummeted to an all-time low. The realms continued to fight about trade, and imposed reverse-sanctions on one another. She knew Flora was watching the news, too, though she tried to avoid it in conversation when they were together. <em>I don't want her to feel bad…</em></p><p>And now, they were boarding the ship to Eraklyon. Timmy gasped as soon as he saw Tecna.</p><p>"You look so beautiful," he gasped.</p><p>"Thanks," Tecna smiled, a blush coming to her face. She was wearing a deep purple dress made of satin, with orange ribbons tied. No sparkles – Tecna had drawn the line on that – but it was bright enough that no one would think she was the cyborg from Zenith. Except for her parents, who would recognize her anywhere.</p><p>That was the problem. As they flew, Tecna pulled Timmy aside so they could talk.</p><p>"We can't get in any pictures together," she whispered. "The pictures from the ball will be all over the Realm Wide Web, and if my parents find out I'm dating you, they'll be furious. I don't want them to find out."</p><p>"Tec, are you sure about this?" Timmy asked uncertainly. "We can't keep hiding from them forever."</p><p>"I know," she whispered. "And Timmy, I know how hard this is for you. But I can't let them find out – not yet, at least. Is that okay?"</p><p>"Of course, Tecna," Timmy nodded. "I don't want to do anything you're not comfortable with."</p><p>"I'm so excited!" Chatta squealed, flying up and down. She was wearing a shimmering green dress, one that made her golden hair stand out. All of the pixies were dressed-up, in fact, wearing beautiful colors. They were grinning as they looked at their respective fairies.</p><p>"Sorry about missing the Princess Ball," Digit said, her indigo suit contrasting against the other pixies' dresses. "We had some work to do, helping the Pixie Elders move our Village. But we're ready for this today!"</p><p>"Actually, I'm kinda glad you missed the last one, to be honest," Stella said sheepishly. She was wearing a vibrant orange dress, one that, in Tecna's opinion, was too bright for her fair coloring. Her jewelry and her tiara looked ridiculous; anyone would think she was the star of the show, not Bloom. But she was beaming as she put her arm around her friend.</p><p>"You're gonna be amazing," she gushed.</p><p>"But what if I mess up?" Bloom asked nervously. "What if I trip on my dress? What if something goes wrong?"</p><p>"Nothing will go wrong," Stella assured her. "You're gonna be just fab-u-lous!"</p><p>But, as it turned out, Bloom would be right. Things would go much, much worse than they'd expected.</p><p>The ship landed. The boys walked together, and the girls walked separately from them. They would not be meeting as couples until the start of the ball; Eraklyon, like Andros, was very traditional. Tecna waved goodbye to Timmy as he walked away.</p><p>Mirta was going to join Flora, but was pulled away by Stella, who was fussing with some problem about her dress. That left Flora to join Tecna, who looked over at Tecna nervously. Tecna swallowed, not meeting her friend's gaze. The Linphean fairy lightly touched her arm.</p><p>"Look, Tec," she said, "I know you haven't been sleeping well at night. Half the days, you look dead during Magiphilosophy. I didn't say anything to the others, because I didn't want them to worry, and I wanted to talk to you first. What's been going on?"</p><p>Tecna swallowed again. <em>Vasiliev… </em>She'd worked extra hard this entire week to make sure she could come to the party. It had been extremely exhausting, and she'd had to force potions down her throat to stay awake throughout the day.</p><p><em>I can't tell Flora about him</em>, she thought. It'd already been a huge risk to tell Timmy; she couldn't bear to tell anyone else. If they found out about her cyborg machinery, then she could pack her bags and kiss Alfea goodbye.</p><p>"I have work to do," Tecna said instead. "I'm employed by a friend of my father's."</p><p>"But this much work?" Flora scrunched her head in worry. "Tecna, why are you doing this?"</p><p>"I have to," Tecna responded. "My family owes everything to him. And so do I. I – I can't explain" –</p><p>"You don't have to," Flora answered. "Just promise me one thing, okay, Tec?"</p><p>"What is it?" Tecna asked.</p><p>"Promise me you won't hurt yourself," Flora answered. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Tecna. Please, promise me that."</p><p>Tecna nodded. "I won't."</p><p>Flora smiled, and there was genuine sweetness in her expression. A question came into Tecna's head, and she frowned.</p><p>"Flora, may I ask you a question?"</p><p>"Sure," Flora smiled. "What is it?"</p><p>"How do you express yourself without fear of persecution? You, well, you like Mirta," she said awkwardly, "but how do you do it? How do you stay with her, even when the society around you doesn't want you that way? How do you do it?"</p><p>Flora let out a sigh. "Honestly? I think it was my parents that made all the difference. I told them I was lesbian when I was sixteen, right before going to Alfea, and they've been nothing but supportive. There are some judgmental people in my village, but the climate is much less suffocating than Alfea, where just about every girl is straight. But I think the biggest difference comes from the parents, Tecna."</p><p><em>That's true</em>, Tecna realized, a wave of envy shooting through her. Her parents wouldn't even let her be with her boyfriend, Timmy. And if she had happened to like girls…</p><p>"But even if your parents don't accept you for who you are," Flora continued, "you know I always will, Tecna. And if you happen to be bi, I'll give you tips on going out with girls."</p><p>Tecna smiled at her. "I'm glad to hear it, Flora. But don't worry; I'm straight." She sighed. "I take it the other girls don't know about you and Mirta."</p><p>"No." Flora shook her head. "I don't know how they would take the news if Mirta and I tell them. So for now, can we just keep it between you and me?"</p><p>"Got it." Tecna smiled. "I figured as much when you avoided Stella's questions that morning. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." It pleased her, to have a secret that she and Flora could keep between themselves. <em>Flora must really trust me… despite everything that's going on between her and my realm.</em></p><p>"The ceremony's about to start!" Bloom shouted from ahead. The girls shut up and joined their friends at the front of the crowd.</p><p>Tecna gazed around the crowd. It seemed that the royalty and nobility from every kingdom was there. There was Queen Isabel and Prince Alberto of Linphea, King Jun and Queen Li of Melody, and… King Radius and Countess Cassandra. Stella let out a gasp of outrage. "How dare she show <em>her </em>face here?"</p><p>"Shh!" Bloom said, pointing to the steps of the palace.</p><p>Prince Sky was standing, wearing a handsome blue royal cape with golden adornments. He smiled warmly at Bloom, who smiled back. He was standing at the top of the steps, next to his father, King Erendor, and mother, Queen Samara.</p><p>"Greetings, everyone!" he shouted. The onlookers quieted and gazed eagerly at him. "I want to thank you all for joining in this great celebration with us. As Crown Prince of this realm, I have come of age. I want to tell you about a girl I've met, who makes my eyes shine with joy every time I see her. She is the most beautiful and amazing girl in the Magical Dimension. I want the whole kingdom to know about the girl I'm dating right now." He smiled. Bloom stepped forward eagerly, joy lighting up her eyes.</p><p>"My friends, without further ado, let me introduce you to the love of my life… Lady Diaspro of Isis!"</p><p>A pale-haired girl wearing a taffeta red dress stepped out of the shadows, her eyes gleaming wickedly. Tecna gasped in shock as she stepped forward, taking Sky's hand in her own. Most of the crowd cheered, particularly the Isis crowd.</p><p>But for the Winx, this was nothing short of horror.</p><p><em>This is completely irrational</em>, thought Tecna. Sky, who had never done anything cruel to anyone, was now publicly disowning his girlfriend of two years? <em>Why is he doing this? What is going on?</em></p><p>Bloom gasped, tears falling down her eyes. "I feel so strange… like everything is coming to an end," she cried.</p><p>"I can't believe it," gasped Flora, holding Bloom’s shoulders before she could collapse. "Why would he do this?”</p><p>"He must really love Diaspro," Bloom sobbed. "It just took him until now to figure it out."</p><p>"Amore, what's going on?" Lockette turned to the pixie of love, who was staring at her crystal.</p><p>"I don't know," she wailed. "The crystal – it's conflicted. This has never happened before. Oh, and here I thought today would be a beautiful day for love!"</p><p>Tecna could barely control her breathing. She stared at Bloom in alarm, wishing there was something, <em>anything</em>, she could do. <em>But I can't do anything about her feelings –</em></p><p>"I think we need to hear this directly from the Royal Cheater himself!" Stella said, firing up. "In fact, I'm gonna go over there and find out exactly what's going on!"</p><p>She stormed towards the steps. A guard, seeing the incoming princess, tried to stop her, but she simply halted him with a snap of her fingers. She was followed by Layla and Musa.</p><p>"Let's go," Flora said. She squeezed Mirta's hand once, whispering, "We'll be back, sweetie." Tecna and Bloom followed Stella, Layla, and Musa, and Flora undid the spell on the confused guard.</p><p>Diaspro was hugging Sky. Rage filled up in Tecna as she stared at the two, disgusted. <em>If someone took my Timmy away from me – </em>She stopped, taken aback by her own possessive thought.</p><p>Diaspro whispered something in Sky's ears. Suddenly, Sky jumped up, glaring at the girls. "Guards! Go get those witches!"</p><p>"What?" gasped Bloom. "Sky, what are you" –</p><p>"They're here, disguised as Alfea fairies!" Sky shouted. "They're terrorists, come to destroy this national holiday!" He glared at the guards. "After them!"</p><p>The guards' eyes hardened. They drew their weapons and ran towards Bloom. Tecna watched, transfixed, as Bloom did nothing to defend herself.</p><p>"That is a lie!" she shouted.</p><p>"You expect them to believe us?" Stella cried, grabbing Bloom. The girls ran towards the palace gardens, panting. Tecna did her best to keep up with the others, fighting hard not to trip over her dress.</p><p>HEARTBEAT 147.4 BEATS PER MINUTE, flashed across her vision. UNUSUALLY HIGH. SEEK CAUTI –</p><p><em>Shut up! </em>thought Tecna irritably. <em>I have to help my friends! </em>She focused on the girls in front.</p><p>"They're gaining on us!" Layla cried.</p><p>"I'll block them for a moment," Flora said. Vine creepers appeared behind them, and the guards hollered angrily. The girls ran as quickly as they could, rushing into the maze.</p><p>"First Sky disses Bloom, and then he calls us witches," Musa said. "He's gotta be spelled!"</p><p>"The same kind of spell that was cast on Stella," Layla added.</p><p>"After them!" a guard yelled, and Tecna snuck a look back. They'd sliced through the magivines and were now running towards the girls.</p><p>"That's it!" Layla yelled. "We're transforming, right now! Winx Enchantix!"</p><p>"Magic Winx!" shouted everyone except Bloom. Tecna felt her suit appearing, and for a moment, gasped in relief at no longer being in fancy party clothes, clothes that her parents would definitely disapprove of. <em>Although I don't think the Eraklyon family will be posting any pictures of us after this… </em>The guards let out a yell.</p><p>"I'll stop them!" Layla called, creating a barrier. The guards tried to attack the barrier, but their darts rebounded on them and they gasped, cursing. Layla smiled.</p><p>"My Enchantix spell makes it a lot stronger!" she called. "So see how you like that!"</p><p>"No, see how you like <em>this</em>!" a voice shouted. Sky was above them, riding a dragon. The dragon bellowed once, and a ray of fire cascaded, hitting Flora directly.</p><p>"Flora!" Musa cried, and Tecna watched in horror as her friend collapsed to the ground.</p><p>"We're here!" a voice behind them called. The Specialists, Mirta, and the Pixies had made it to the ship, and it was now hovering above them. "Get into the ship!"</p><p>"We'll get Flora," added Brandon and Riven, picking her up.</p><p>Mirta glared up at Sky. "What did you do to my – I mean, what did you do to Flora?"</p><p>Tecna saw Layla and Musa exchange a puzzled look. But it was quickly forgotten as Sky yelled, "That's nothing compared to <em>this</em>!" His dragon let out a mighty roar, spewing out a torrent of flames straight towards Brandon, Riven, and Flora –</p><p>"No!" Bloom yelled, dissipating the fire just before it could reach Flora. "That's it, Sky. I'm not letting you hurt my friends anymore!" She transformed, flying up to challenge Sky.</p><p>The dragon roared again, and Tecna gasped in horror. More dragons broke out of the royal armory, and people were screaming, stampeding one another in the rush to get away. In the path of one particularly brutal dragon was King Radius, who had been knocked to the ground.</p><p>"No!" Stella cried, and she soared towards the dragon. Tecna watched in horror as the dragon pounced on Radius, letting out a breath of fire…</p><p>And Stella jumped right in front of it.</p><p>She screamed in pain, trying to deflect the flames away but eventually succumbing to her power. Letting out one last cry, she fell to the ground.</p><p>"Stella!" shouted Brandon in alarm.</p><p>And then, a light began to shine on her. The Winx watched, transfixed, as another blinding light flashed over her. The same light that had engulfed Layla just a few weeks ago.</p><p>"Her Enchantix!" Layla shouted. "She's getting it at last!"</p><p>The light died away. Stella was standing, wearing a floating orange-and-pink top and orange-and-pink skirt, tied with turquoise lace. Turquoise barefoot sandals were strapped on her legs, and a blue band with an orange-and-pink pouch was around her neck. She wore a turquoise crown barrette in her hair. Her wings were luminous, orange with pink, blue, and yellow prism designs.</p><p>"My Enchantix!" she cried out.</p><p>Suddenly, she squealed as she was grabbed from behind. An Eraklyonese guard grabbed her, throwing a black band around her arm. She immediately reverted back to her civilian form, confused and stunned.</p><p>"We're taking this one to the dungeon," he said.</p><p>"No!" Brandon yelled. "Stella!"</p><p>"There's nothing we can do!" Timmy cried. "Come on, let's get out of here before they take us, too!"</p><p>He dove into the ship. Tecna and the other girls followed him; after an urgent plea, Brandon followed as well. The ship closed just as the guards ran at it, snarling and glaring.</p><p>"We’d better hide in the forest, before we become toast," Musa said. "Don't worry, Brandon, we'll save her."</p><p>Tecna's mind was whirling at an abysmal rate. She looked to Bloom, who was profusely sobbing as well. Then she looked over at Flora, who was still lying motionless next to Mirta.</p><p>What was going on? What dark force had uprooted all common sense and made Eraklyon completely irrational?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next pair of chapters:<br/>	The group heads toward the Eraklyonese palace, trying to free Stella.<br/>	Flora thinks back on sophomore year and how she developed feelings for Mirta.<br/>	Tecna remembers the day she met Timmy, and about how she started to trust Flora.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Storming Eraklyon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Flora awoke as the ship landed in the forest, wincing as she opened her eyes. "What happened?"</p><p>"Lie down," Riven called. "You're still not well."</p><p>Flora ignored him, sitting up. Slowly her vision returned, and she could make out the expressions on her friends' faces. At Bloom's tearful expression, at Layla and Musa's worried ones, at Tecna's thoughtful one. But there was someone missing.</p><p>"Stella," she gasped. "Where is she?"</p><p>"She was captured," Timmy answered, pointing to Brandon, who was sitting huddled on the floor. "And now, the Eraklyon guard is after us. They're five minutes behind us on the radar, but they'll soon reach us."</p><p>"I can try casting an illusion-spell," Mirta offered. "I <em>am </em>a fairy of the night, after all."</p><p>"Are you sure?" Flora stared at her in surprise. "You only have your Winx powers. How will you be able to cast such a high-level spell?"</p><p>"If we combine her illusion-power with my Enchantix powers, we should be able to shield ourselves from their radar," Layla said. "Come on, let's go." She and Mirta flew out of the spaceship.</p><p>A powerful neon-colored energy shot over them. Flora knew they were cloaked in shadows, and that no would see them now.</p><p>The ship landed in the dense forest. Flora let out a yawn, realizing just how tired she was. It was well after midnight, and they were all exhausted.</p><p>"The Eraklyon army is probably after us, too," said Timmy. "This won't protect us for long."</p><p>"We'll all take turns keeping guard," Layla answered, looking around. "All except Bloom and Brandon. They're too emotionally hurt right now."</p><p>"Forget about that," said Brandon, clenching his fists. "I want to go find Stella right now" –</p><p>"We can't do that unless we're rested," Riven said practically. "We all need to sleep."</p><p>"Flora shouldn't keep guard, either," Mirta added, coming in front of her defensively. "She's just been injured."</p><p>There was a silence. Flora could tell the others were confused about her and Mirta; no one understood what was going on. Layla and Musa were watching them with surprised eyes. <em>Oh, please don't let them find out about us…</em></p><p>"That's fine," Tecna said quickly. "I'll set up a radar, too, so we know if anyone's coming. In the meantime, let's sleep. We need to be rested for tomorrow, so we can plan our infiltration."</p><p>Flora and Mirta went outside to sleep, followed by Riven, who was keeping guard. Flora looked up at the trees.</p><p>"Goodnight," she murmured. Then she curled up on the grass and fell asleep.</p><p>***</p><p>The next morning, Brandon looked to be much healthier, though he was still in poor spirits. As they ate some stale provisions from the ship, he took out a map of the palace.</p><p>"I know some secret passages," he said, "which we can follow into the palace. This one takes us directly to the dungeons." He pointed it out on the map.</p><p>"But there'll be lots of guards," Timmy pointed out. "What'll we do?"</p><p>"Divert their attention," Brandon answered. "You, Riven, Mirta, and the Pixies create a diversion with the spaceship, while I go with the Winx to free Stella."</p><p>"But that isn't all," Bloom added. "We also need to break the spell on Sky."</p><p>"I don't think that's possible," Riven said flatly.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Bloom cried.</p><p>"Think about it," Riven said. "What if Sky wasn't under a spell? What if he's made a choice he's happy with, a jerky move but still a choice?"</p><p>"How could you even <em>say</em> that?" Bloom clenched her fists.</p><p>"I'm just being practical," Riven said defensively. "Even Amore's crystal couldn't tell what was going on. We have no proof he was acting under a spell."</p><p>"Way to be supportive, Riven," snapped Musa.</p><p>There was a silence. Flora gazed at Mirta, wondering what she'd do if Mirta went the same way as Sky. <em>I think I'd burst. </em>She knew Bloom was handling it much more strongly than she would've.</p><p>"Let's just go with the original plan, but with a few modifications," Brandon said. "Flora, Tecna, and I will go and find Stella. Bloom, Layla, and Musa, you go after Sky and do your best to change his mind. The rest of you stay back and create as much of a diversion as you can."</p><p>"On it," Riven grinned. "I know of some pretty good diversions."</p><p>"Yeah, totally!" agreed Chatta, firing up. "We Pixies know what we're doing when it comes to that!"</p><p>"Okay then," Brandon nodded. "Follow me; I'll lead the way!"</p><p>Flora smiled at Mirta. "Good luck," she whispered.</p><p>"Good luck to you, too," Mirta said. "You sure you're okay?"</p><p>"Don't worry about me," Flora whispered. "Just please promise me you'll be careful."</p><p>"Hey, I went through a full body transformation last year," Mirta answered, looking slightly put-off. "You know I can handle it, Flora."</p><p>"Of course I do," Flora answered, resisting the urge to stroke her hair. <em>I couldn't bear for Mirta to get captured the same way Stella was. </em>What with all the bullying going on at school, she didn't want anything to happen to Mirta.</p><p>She knew, at times, that she was too protective of her girlfriend. But she still couldn't forget what had happened last year, when Mirta had been undergoing her transformation. It had been a scary time, one she'd never forget…</p><p>It had been a hot Octomensis day in Palladium's class. The other girls had complained about the heat, but not Flora; she was too busy daydreaming about Mirta.</p><p>Mirta's transformation was going very well. She was staying in the hospital, and Flora was visiting her as often as she possibly could. She found herself looking forward immensely to visiting her, to a degree which confused her. <em>Why do I want to see her all the time?</em></p><p>"Attention girls!" Palladium announced. "I know it's a hot day and you don't want to be here" – to this the girls grumbled – "so we're going to do something fun." Immediately, the girls perked up.</p><p>Flora wasn't paying any attention. <em>Oh, Mirta… I hope you're managing fine… </em>She drew a rose in her notebook, one that was pink and beautiful, and imagined it in Mirta's hands. <em>But… why? Why do I want that so badly? </em>She sighed.</p><p>Palladium was holding a padlock in his hands. "This padlock is called a <em>cincinno cattus</em>, because witches used them to protect their cat-familiars in the Age of Antiquity. We're going to open this padlock with an <em>Elventhien </em>incantation. Now, when using one of the nine ancient languages of Magix, pronunciation is critical. It is pronounced <em>patentibus mytrus</em>. Who would like to give it a shot?"</p><p>"Me," Bloom said, standing up eagerly. She walked to the front of the room, and focused her energy on the lock. "<em>Patentibus mytrus</em>!"</p><p>The lock transformed immediately, opening with a red swirl. Palladium beamed at her.</p><p>"Excellent!" he said. "Now watch what happens when I change a syllable." He closed his eyes. "<em>Patentibus mytros</em>!"</p><p>The lock transformed instantly, denting itself into the shape of a cat. It let out an unexpected, very loud meow. The girls all laughed.</p><p>"Ooh, kitty kitty!"</p><p>"Looks like we need some cat food!"</p><p>Flora wasn't paying any attention. <em>I'd like to get Mirta a cat… </em>She smiled, imagining herself with Mirta, holding her hand as they walked out into a Linphean forest…</p><p>"Flora, your turn!"</p><p>Flora shot her eyes up. Palladium was staring at her, looking not at all amused. <em>Okay… </em>She got up and closed her eyes, concentrating her magical energy.</p><p>"<em>Patentibus… Mirta</em>!" she shouted.</p><p>Immediately, the lock went berserk. "Meow-meow!" it shouted, jumping up and down. Palladium tried to grab it, but it scuttled around the room, jumping out of the grasp. He glared at her.</p><p>"Flora!"</p><p>The girls were in hysterics. Flora saw Musa falling out of her chair, Bloom and Stella giggling unceremoniously, and Layla gasping between pants. Even Tecna was laughing. She stared at them, confused and put-off.</p><p>"I don't know what happened," she said later to Mirta, as they both sat on her hospital bed. "He looked so annoyed with me. And – everyone was just laughing the whole time."</p><p>"I know the feeling," Mirta looked sympathetic. "It's horrible, when people laugh at you for making a mistake."</p><p>Flora winced. "Oh, Mirta"… She put her arm around her friend's shoulders. "I'm so sorry."</p><p>Mirta nodded. Flora found it hard not to tremble, especially when she was so close to this beautiful girl, someone she cherished so much. <em>But… why? Why do I feel this way?</em></p><p>She gazed down at the girl. She was looking surprisingly healthy and in good shape; the transformation was going much more smoothly than anyone had expected. Some of her features had changed noticeably. Her skin was softer, and her face was rounder. All of those were distinct fairy-features, which the transformation spells had clearly done a good job of. <em>She'll be a fairy in no time…</em></p><p>"Flora?" Mirta interrupted her thoughts. "Why are you staring at me like that?"</p><p>Flora pulled away, almost as if she was stung. Mirta was staring at her with a perplexed expression on her face, and Flora felt her cheeks heat up.</p><p>"Sorry," she said, rather timidly. "I – I was just thinking of how healthy you look. You've managed quite well."</p><p>"Yeah," Mirta said, looking frustrated. "I wish I wasn't stuck here, in the hospital. It gets so <em>boring</em>, sitting here all day long. It's just… it really sucks." She let out a sigh. "But I can't go home."</p><p>"Why can't you just tell your parents?" Flora whispered. "I'm sure they would understand" –</p><p>"No," Mirta said, cutting her off. "They don't understand me at all." She closed her eyes.</p><p>"From the moment I was born, they were disappointed in me. I only acquired magical ability at age ten, whereas every other witch in the neighborhood could cast spells at age six. And even then, I never showed any interest in learning to brew potions or incant hexes. I was always much more interested in flying. And they scorned me, saying that I might as well just be a fairy. They just don't <em>care </em>for me at all."</p><p>"Mirta"… Flora stared at her in shock. <em>How could any parents be like this? </em>They'd compared her, treated her like dirt, and thrown her under a rug. "I'm so sorry." She hugged her tightly.</p><p>Mirta stiffened for a moment, and Flora was afraid she'd gone too far. Then she felt Mirta squeeze her tightly. Flora felt her heart beat exponentially faster, something she hadn't expected.</p><p><em>But she's another girl</em>, she thought frantically. <em>I – I can't –</em></p><p>Suddenly, Mirta fell back, her legs shaking uncontrollably. She had an anguished look on her face as she fell back, her body moving into spasms. <em>What's going on?</em> Flora stood up immediately, running to the door.</p><p>"Nurse!" she yelled. "Mirta needs help!"</p><p>Two nurses immediately rushed in. Mirta lay helplessly on the bed, magical sparks shooting out of her body. A nurse immediately hooked her up to a machine, apparently trying to contain the magic.</p><p>But that only agitated her even further. A spark shot out, directly singing Flora. The force was harsher than she'd imagined, and she fell to the ground, crying out with pain.</p><p>"You need to leave, <em>now</em>," one of the nurses told Flora.</p><p>"But Mirta" – Flora cried.</p><p>"Go!" the nurse yelled, and Flora sped out.</p><p>"We'll call you when we confirm what happened," the doctor said. She'd just arrived on the scene, and moved forward to assist the nurses in what they needed.</p><p>An hour passed. Flora sat in the waiting-room, sick with worry. <em>What could've happened? </em>Why was Mirta so ill? Just before coming to see her, she'd been absolutely fine – better than normal, in fact. <em>But now she's…</em></p><p>"Flora," a voice called. The doctor was standing there, looking grim.</p><p>"She's not looking good," she said. "Her immune system is starting to fight the transformation. The potions we've been using have suppressed her immune system so far, but now her body's starting to fight back. We're hoping we'll be able to bypass her immune system and get the transformation through."</p><p>"And if not?" Flora gasped.</p><p>"If her body rejects the transformation," the doctor said, "then she'll go into shock, and we'll have to hook her to the ventilator. None have survived after that stage, so if that happens"… She didn't finish her sentence.</p><p><em>No</em>, thought Flora, frantically. <em>I thought – this can't happen! </em>She could scarcely breathe.</p><p>"Don't worry," the doctor said, gently. "We will do our absolute best to make sure she's okay." She looked closely at Flora. "You really care about her, don't you?"</p><p>And Flora did, but it was more than just a friendly love. <em>It's… I'm… </em>And at that moment, she knew what it was.</p><p><em>I'm in love with Mirta. </em>The realization dawned on her, and she stared down. <em>I'm in love with another girl.</em></p><p>***</p><p>"Shh," Brandon whispered as they walked into the dungeons. "This place is swarming with guards."</p><p>Cell after cell they'd walked by. Flora wished she could transform, but she knew it'd attract too much attention. They would have to wait for the right time.</p><p>"I hate this!" a voice wailed. "I hate this I hate this I hate this I hate this!"</p><p>"Stella!" Flora gasped.</p><p>"Shh!" Tecna said warningly as they approached.</p><p>"How about a quick stunning spell, just for the guard blocking Stella's door?" Brandon whispered, pointing to a woman standing in front of the cell.</p><p>"Good idea!" said Tecna. "Digital slap!" The guard toppled over.</p><p>"Ivy catcher!" added Flora, calling a group of magivines to catch the woman before she hit the ground. The magivines braced her, preventing her from receiving any injuries or creating a noise that'd alert the other guards.</p><p>"Stella!" gasped Brandon. "There you are!" He ran up to her.</p><p>"Get the key for my arm-band!" Stella pointed out.</p><p>"Ivy locater," Flora whispered, motioning for the ivy to search for they key in the woman's pocket. It found it and gave it over to her.</p><p>"Here goes," she whispered, unlocking Stella's band. "Okay, now we've got to get out of here."</p><p>"We sure do!" said Stella, looking around with distaste. "Do you have any idea how bad this is for my hair? I need shampoo and essential oils, that's what I need" –</p><p>A shout rang out. "Who dares infiltrate the dungeons?"</p><p>"Run!" Stella gasped. The girls transformed, at the same moment two female guards came out of their quarters.</p><p>"The witch girl's escaping!" one of them yelled. "We should've put her in the high security vault!"</p><p>"It was His Majesty's orders," spat the other one. "He won't put her in the high vaults until she's been convicted. A foolish move, if you ask me." She shot an attack at the girls.</p><p>"Digital screen!" Tecna yelled.</p><p>"Floral diffusion!" Flora added.</p><p>The two girls converged their powers to create a shield. The guards ran at them, holding their swords high in the air. Brandon leapt in front of the three girls, drawing his spear and dueling with the two women.</p><p>"Girls, go up and help the others save Sky," he said. "He's more important than me. We need to prove Diaspro's deception!"</p><p>"But snookums"… Stella gasped.</p><p>"GO!" Brandon roared, bringing down his sword. The girls ran towards the exit of the dungeons, up into the first floor.</p><p>Above them, they could hear screaming. Guards were running back and forth; in the confusion, no one noticed Flora, Tecna, and Stella. They were cursing, running towards the elevator.</p><p>"Faster!" Stella yelled, transforming and flying towards the second floor.</p><p>"It's the witches!" shouted one of the soldiers. "We need to stop them!"</p><p>"Come <em>on</em>!" Stella hissed at Flora and Tecna. "We need to get out of here!"</p><p>But Flora and Tecna were nowhere near as fast as Stella. While she soared into the air effortlessly, without any problem, they knew they wouldn't get out of the room before the soldiers arrived.</p><p>"Stella, go find Sky," said Tecna. "Flora and I will take care of the guards."</p><p>"Okay!" shouted Stella, flying ahead. "Good luck!"</p><p>"Ivy snake!" called Flora, linking hands with Tecna. Roots began to appear at the ground.</p><p>"Technological terseness!" added Tecna.</p><p>The vines grew up. With Tecna's spell, they grew taut, forcing the men to trip on them. While they lay on the ground, the vines grew up and twisted around them.</p><p>"Nice one, Tec!" Flora said.</p><p>"And to think we thought floral energy didn't work with technology," Tecna smiled, referring to when they'd worked together last year on their Convergence project<strong>. </strong>"Now, let's go."</p><p>"I'm coming with you!" Brandon had appeared, and was joining them. "Let's go and see what's up with Sky" –</p><p>"Wait, look!" Tecna pointed out the window. "They're escaping!"</p><p>Flora stared. Bloom, Stella, Layla, and Musa were flying out the window, with guards flying on saucers after them.</p><p>"Were we successful or not?" she asked uncertainly.</p><p>"Whatever the case, it's time for retreat," said Brandon. "Let's go!"</p><p>Tecna broke the window. The two girls flew towards the glass, but then frowned as they saw Brandon. "What about you?"</p><p>"You can't do anything for me!" Brandon shouted. "I think they've done what they needed to do. Worst comes to worst, I'll get arrested, but my prominence with Sky will help me." He frowned. "Now go!"</p><p>The girls flew out. People were screaming in the streets below them; it looked like something had happened. <em>What did Riven do?</em></p><p>"The ship's nearby!" Tecna yelled. "Let's go!"</p><p>Flora looked and saw she was right. She looked behind in alarm, seeing some of the guards had freed themselves from the ivy trap and were flying after them.</p><p>"Go!" she yelled. The ship compartment opened, and they dove in, gasping. Then the ship zoomed off, sailing into the sky.</p><p>"Flora! Tecna!" Bloom cried. "You're here!"</p><p>"Yes," said Flora, frowning. "What happened, guys?"</p><p>"Stella managed to break the spell on Sky," said Musa, "but then we had to run. The guards were coming after us, and Sky was too disoriented to order them off."</p><p>"What about Brandon?" asked Stella fearfully.</p><p>Flora wished she had better news to give her.</p><p>"He's been arrested," she said. "But don't worry, Stell. I'm sure he'll find his way out, now that the spell's been broken."</p><p>"I sure hope so, too," sighed Stella.</p><p>But they couldn't worry about that now. Flora frowned as she gazed at Bloom. "How did Sky get spelled? What happened?"</p><p>Bloom's eyes were grim. "It was Valtor, Flora. We identified his mark – it was the same mark that was cast on the mutants in Andros. While we were running around yesterday, chased by the guards, he must've come here and taken Eraklyon's spells. Don't you see? He's the cause of all these problems!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Vasiliev's Command</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Andros is wet, Andros is dark, and Andros is useless," Valtor said. "The mutants serve no function anymore. We've taken all the spells this miserable realm has to offer; now we need to relocate. So you three give me some ideas."</p><p>The three witches and their master were in an underground hideout concealed by Valtor's collection of spells. Stealthily and undetected, Valtor had stolen the magical treasures of Melody, Solaria, Andros, Eraklyon, and Whisperia. It had been even easier to go to non-UR protected realms, such as Om, Oppositus, and Espero; those futile kingdoms had been unable to defend themselves against invasions. The witches frowned, in deep thought.</p><p>"Why don't we go to Shadowhaunt, Darkar's old place?" Stormy suggested.</p><p>"Do you really want to be reminded of that jerk?" Darcy asked disdainfully. "We're not going there. Besides, his old servants would probably turn on us the moment we enter."</p><p>"We need a place filled with ancient power," Valtor pointed out, "where I can keep this collection of spells."</p><p>"How about Cloud Tower Castle?" suggested Icy. "The school for witches, set up by the United Realms in Year 10 of the Age of Unity, along with Alfea and Red Fountain. A school tied to the history of Whisperia, our home realm."</p><p>"Hmmm." Valtor nodded, and Icy could tell he liked the idea. "Very interesting."</p><p>"It would be so much fun to go back there and kick Griffin's butt," Stormy sniggered. "She can't expel us for long, can she?"</p><p>"So <em>that's </em>what Griffin's doing, then? Headmistress of a UR school?" Valtor asked suddenly, his eyes flashing. "She and I have a score to settle. So it's decided, then. Cloud Tower it is!"</p><p>***</p><p>"Hey, Tec! Wake up!"</p><p>Tecna woke up with a start in Palladium's classroom. Numbers had swirled through her dreams, and she gasped as she saw what was going on.</p><p>Five other heads were staring at her. To be precise, girls of the Winx Club. Musa, who sat in the seat next to her, took her hand.</p><p>"What's up, Tec? It's not like you ta fall asleep durin' class. I mean, that's a Stella thing."</p><p>"Hey!" said Stella, stung. "I don't <em>always</em> do that!"</p><p>"Yeah, sure," laughed Layla. "I've never actually seen you pay attention during a class. And you barely study, too."</p><p>"Seriously, Tecna, are you okay?" Flora asked. "You've been rather down lately."</p><p>Tecna sighed. It had been a week since the events on Eraklyon; she supposed everyone had been down lately. Although Sky had made amends with Bloom and a court had exonerated Brandon and banished Diaspro, the news had been far from pleasant. Just last week, Valtor had attacked Fulgur and Summa, the realm of storms and realm of natural elements, respectively. Luna of Solaria and Priscilla of Linphea had been sent on a mission to guard the realm, along with two sophomores: Yasmin of Fulgur and Sofía of Linphea. They'd come back unsuccessful, having been unable to even find Valtor and stop him from enacting his spells.</p><p>"I'm fine," she said, attempting a smile. "I've just been overworked, I suppose. There's so much work this semester."</p><p>"Tell me about it," groaned Musa. "There's hardly any time to write my compositions or practice my flute."</p><p>"And I can barely squeeze in a two-hour date with Brandon on Fridays," Stella added. "Like seriously! And tests in <em>Aeroflynamics</em>, of all classes? It’s supposed to be an easy class!"</p><p>"It sucks," agreed Bloom, "but I'm glad we're doing this. The teachers say they're stepping up our training because it's our final year, but I really think it's because of Valtor."</p><p>"I can't believe the UR still hasn't caught him," Flora added. "They've been sending all their forces after him, and he just hasn't been found."</p><p>"What's up with Ms. F, anyways?" Stella asked. "She always avoids questions about Valtor. It's like she's been hiding information from us."</p><p>"I've tried checking the library," Bloom said, "but I can't find anything. There's just no trace of information."</p><p>Tecna frowned. Although a lot had happened in between, she could clearly remember what Faragonda had told them three weeks ago, upon their return to Alfea. She'd been worried, and had done a miserable job of concealing it.</p><p>"There is no mistake what Valtor is after," she had told them. "The same thing Darkar was after, in fact. He wants complete world domination. And he will not stop at any price."</p><p>"Who is he?" Stella wanted to know. "Who is Valtor?"</p><p>Faragonda let out a sigh.</p><p>"Valtor is a centuries-old villain from Whisperia," she said. "Many villains seem to hail from there, though from no fault of that poor realm, of course. I always say it is a shame how fairy-beings have treated warlocks all throughout the ages. Whisperia is the only non-fairy kingdom in the United Realms, which means that it is often on the defensive when it comes to decision-time."</p><p>"So is that why Valtor's doing this?" Layla wanted to know. "Does he hate all fairies for what they've done to his kind?"</p><p>"It's not as simple as that," Faragonda answered. "He is very dangerous, Layla, and very cunning. He is one of the most manipulative men in the dimension. And he is very powerful, too. More powerful than you should have to face at this pivotal stage in your lives, if you ask me, but fate is not always too kind."</p><p>"Hold on a minute." Bloom frowned. "It sounds like you're speaking from personal experience, Ms. Faragonda. It sounds like you… know him."</p><p>"Yeah," added Stella. "What’s with you and this guy?"</p><p>Faragonda frowned. "What's important is that we make sure Magix doesn't suffer the same fate as many of the other realms. The UR is working on defense mechanisms for the realms that haven't fallen, but they underestimate him; he is very capable of getting past all of them. And at some point, it will be up to us to defend our school and our realm."</p><p>Tecna exchanged a glance with Flora. <em>She completely just sidestepped that question about Valtor… </em>What was Faragonda hiding? And why didn't she trust them?</p><p>"In fact, I <em>know </em>for a fact he'll attack here," Faragonda said. "These three schools are very ancient and powerful; if he is to succeed at any world-takeover quest, he will come here. So we must be on guard, girls. I have summoned you six here because you are the only ones who have faced him directly before, and two of you are the only girls in the senior class to so far have gained Enchantix. If anyone has the best chance of standing off against him, it is you. So go back to your classes and train especially hard, so you can defend our school!" Her eyes flashed. "And please, don't mention this to any of the other girls. I don't want a panic created throughout the castle."</p><p>And so there they were now, three weeks later, in Palladium's Advanced Battle class. The girls abruptly finished chatting as Palladium strode into the room, his long mane flowing past his back.</p><p>"Good morning, girls," he said. "Now, it is time for us to practice advanced convergence. I assume you all read the pages I marked for homework last night."</p><p><em>No, I didn't</em>, thought Tecna. In fact, she hadn't read any pages in any textbook for the last three weeks; she'd been too busy with her coding. She yawned once, sighing.</p><p>"Good," said Palladium. "Now I want you girls to get into groups of three and practice with each other, and I'll walk around and give you pointers. Remember, this spell will only work with focused energy and a clear head"…</p><p>Tecna's head fell to the desk, and she suppressed a groan. <em>It's going to be another long day…</em></p><p>***</p><p>Two unsuccessful classes later, Tecna was strolling down Magix City with Timmy. They'd managed to see a movie together, and were laughing as they walked down the street.</p><p>"That was hilarious," Timmy laughed. "The protagonist could barely even operate his phone, and he somehow managed to defeat a villain?"</p><p>"I know," Tecna laughed. "It was so illogical. The antagonist was much stronger than the protagonist; but with a few lucky moves, he managed to defeat the villain. It's so ridiculous – after all, there's no such thing as luck."</p><p>"You really think so?" Timmy said in surprise.</p><p>"Of <em>course</em>," Tecna responded. Nothing happened by <em>accident</em>. Imposter Avalon hadn't invaded Alfea by accident. They hadn't defeated Darkar by accident. Everything, right from her hover crash to now, had always been predestined, planned by someone in charge.</p><p>"Hmm." Timmy stared at the night sky, looking thoughtful.</p><p>"What?" Tecna asked in surprise. "What are you thinking about?"</p><p>"I'm just wondering," he said, "whether you think we met each other by luck, or whether it was a conscious decision on our parts. What do you think?"</p><p>Tecna blinked in surprise. She had never thought of it that way before. <em>What does he mean by that? </em>She stared at him, completely taken aback.</p><p>"Well," she said, "You, Sky, Brandon, and Riven were all suitemates. So, it was logical that I got to know you."</p><p>"But how do you know?" Timmy pressed on. "How do you know we were meant to be?"</p><p>Tecna couldn't answer. <em>How did it happen? </em>How did something so illogical as their relationship spring out of the seeds of rationality? She frowned for a moment, thinking back to the first time they'd met, the exercise at the Black Mud Swamp…</p><p>The thirty-nine girls of the freshman class were on a field exercise for Palladium's class. As always, Tecna, Flora, Bloom, Musa, and Stella had partnered up, and they were walking through the Black Mud Swamp, trying to find the crystals.</p><p>Tecna didn't understand a thing they were trying to do. In the middle of the swamp, without any Web connection, she felt entirely deprived. Her scanners were still working, but in the middle of a wet, muddy patch of land, they were not very useful.</p><p><em>What is this Voice of Nature? </em>How could Palladium tell them to follow this voice, akin to <em>instinct</em>? It was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. <em>Clearly he's never heard of a data-analysis class –</em></p><p>Suddenly, her internal sensor pinged with alarm.</p><p>LARGE SHIP DETECTED OVERHEAD. SMOKE LEVEL HIGH.</p><p>Tecna snapped her eyes upward. A ship was barreling towards the ground, screeching with the sound of a wolf. The girls looked up in alarm.</p><p>"Let's go see what's going on!" Bloom shouted.</p><p>The girls raced towards the ship and peered anxiously through the windows. They gasped as they saw the boys coming out, unhurt except for their singed clothes.</p><p>"Are you all right?" Flora asked, worry in her eyes.</p><p>"<em>Obviously</em>," Riven snorted, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.</p><p>Tecna frowned at him. <em>What a rude boy… </em>Already she didn't like his attitude.</p><p>"Where're you guys going?" Stella wanted to know.</p><p>Sky smiled, trying to look reassuring. "We're, um, on our first solo mission, ladies. We're very excited and" –</p><p>"The troll got away!"</p><p>Everyone turned towards Timmy, who was staring frantically at a gaping hole in the spacecraft. The girls gasped.</p><p>"You were transporting a <em>troll</em>?" Bloom gasped.</p><p>"How'd it get away?" Musa demanded.</p><p>Tecna gazed at Timmy, who looked frantic and confused. Their eyes met briefly for a moment. And in that moment, she connected with him, for she knew what it was like to be fearful of the consequences of her actions.</p><p><em>Why am I feeling sorry for him? </em>This had nothing to do with her. <em>Why am I feeling sorry for a boy? Why am I even </em>thinking <em>about him? </em>Her cheeks warmed slightly at the mere thought, and she instantly felt ashamed. She crossed her arms and turned around, gazing at the ground.</p><p>"Listen," Riven declared, "why don't you little girls go away and leave this job to the Specialists?"</p><p>"Who <em>are </em>the Specialists?" Stella rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Aw, snap!" Musa teased as Stella batted her eyes at Riven.</p><p>Riven glared at her. "Listen, you airhead little princess" –</p><p>"What Riven's trying to say," Brandon cut in, "is that it might be best if you leave the troll to us."</p><p>"I can tell her to bug off myself!" Riven snapped.</p><p>Tecna frowned. "But what if the troll finds the other girls?" she said fearfully, thinking of how aggressive that troll probably was.</p><p>"Just let us deal with it ourselves and stay out of our way!" Riven snapped. "Come on, guys, let's go." He sauntered off.</p><p>Bloom frowned as the boys walked away. "You know, maybe we should go after them."</p><p>"You mean after that jerk line Riven gave us?" Stella demanded.</p><p>"Yeah," Flora said softly. "I say we get back to our assignment and let them deal with it."</p><p>"Flora's right, Bloom," Stella added. "If Riven wants to get eaten by a troll, I say 'bon appetit'."</p><p>Flora frowned. "That's not quite what I said but" –</p><p>Tecna wasn't paying attention. She frowned at the ship ahead, scanning it with her feed. The reading came to her almost instantly from her downloaded database.</p><p>BURNT CAVITY, the screen read back. CREATED BY MAGICAL BLAST. She stared, taken aback.</p><p>"Hang on a minute, girls," she said. "It doesn't look as if that crack was created naturally. Someone has to have shot it from the outside."</p><p>"<em>What</em>?" Musa was instantly on her feet.</p><p>"In that case, we'd better go investigate," Bloom declared.</p><p>Stella sighed, throwing up her hands. "Fine. But don't complain if I spend an hour in the bathtub tonight."</p><p>The girls continued to walk. Tecna frowned, gazing towards the girls. The footprints disappeared as they walked, and she gasped.</p><p>"What happened?" Stella demanded, staring at the ground, the lack of footprints on the mud.</p><p>"Someone has to have levitated the troll," Flora said. "There's no other way."</p><p>"Great." Stella crossed her arms. "Troll's unfindable. I say we go home."</p><p>"It's not." Flora smiled. "There's another way."</p><p>"What?" Bloom asked.</p><p>"The Voice of Nature!"</p><p>Tecna groaned. "Not that again!" she cried out. "It's impossible. It won't work."</p><p>"Why not?" Flora stared at her.</p><p>"This nature voice doesn't exist," Tecna answered. "If you can't even use magic to connect with the trees, how do you expect this to work? It's impossible!"</p><p>"Linpheans have been doing it for millennia," Flora answered. "We don't need one ounce of magical blood in our bodies. Tecna, all you need to do is trust yourself."</p><p>Tecna barked a laugh. "That makes no sense."</p><p>"It <em>does</em>," Flora insisted. "You have to listen to the world around you. Just try it."</p><p>Tecna sighed. <em>I'm not wasting my time arguing with her… </em>Flora closed her eyes, her feet grounded in the mud.</p><p>"I think I can sense something," she whispered, opening her eyes. "The trees seem to be bristling ever-so-slightly, and the wind is beckoning. Something is amiss in that thicket." She pointed.</p><p>"Sounds nice and poetic, but I'm not sure that's what it is," Musa said.</p><p>"Exactly," Tecna declared. "This is a waste of time."</p><p>"No, I think Flora's onto something," Bloom said. "I think it's bristling ever-so-slightly, too."</p><p>"You're catching on, too," Flora smiled. "Yes, it's definitely that way."</p><p>"This is completely illogical, Flora," Tecna said. "I don't think" –</p><p>"Listen," Stella snapped, "have you got any better ideas? 'Cause if you do, I'm all ears. <em>I</em> didn't want to come to this stupid swamp in the first place, and I <em>certainly </em>don't want to be chasing some idiot guy with 'tude. But if you've got any better ideas, you'd better spill now, Tecna."</p><p>And Tecna had nothing. <em>Palladium didn't even give us a map… </em>She stared helplessly at Flora, who smiled and brushed her shoulder.</p><p>"Trust me," she said. "I know what we're doing."</p><p>She led the way. The girls followed, in order of most attentive to most skeptical: Bloom was in the front, tailed by Musa, and a yawning Stella. Tecna followed far in the rear, glaring at the ground.</p><p><em>I don't understand</em>, she thought. <em>How is this happening? This is impossible! Nothing is going to work. This isn't –</em></p><p>"Now that you mention," Musa said, "I sense something ominous here, too."</p><p>"Shh," Flora whispered. "I recognize these vines. They're Quietus Carnivorous; they hate noise."</p><p>"No way," Stella said, whistling. "Yoo-hoo! See, that didn't do anything" –</p><p>A vine snaked forward, grabbing her by the ankles. She screamed as she was pulled into the air, the girls staring at her. Flora darted forward and laid her hands on the vine.</p><p>"Calm down," she said soothingly. "We're not here to hurt you."</p><p>The vine uncoiled and moved away. Gasping, Stella got up, brushing the mud off of her clothes. Tecna stared at the vines, taken aback.</p><p><em>Why didn't I download any information about plants? </em>Her scanner would've picked up on it immediately, and she wouldn't have to rely on information from someone who believed the Voice of Nature was her spiritual guide! She felt humiliated.</p><p>"I still don't see," she said, "that this is leading us the right way" –</p><p>A shout filled the air. Tecna jumped as she heard male voices, yelling in terror.</p><p>"Let's go!" Musa hissed.</p><p>Flora ran ahead, the girls running close behind. They gasped as they saw what was in front of them.</p><p>Timmy, Riven, Sky, and Brandon were hanging from the vines, gasping in pain. They were constricted terribly, their lungs in pain. And that wasn't all.</p><p>In front of them was a very blue, very gagged, sleeping troll.</p><p>"Oh no," Musa whispered.</p><p>As if sensing their presence, the troll woke up immediately. It leapt up, running towards the girls.</p><p>"Out of the way!" Bloom hissed.</p><p>The girls ran. The troll threw itself where they'd once stood, grunting the best it could through its gag.</p><p>"I'll calm the vines!" Flora gasped. She turned towards the vines and stroked them gently.</p><p>The vines recoiled. Tecna stared in disbelief as she saw Flora, once again, working her powers of nature on the plants. <em>Without a single spell… </em>She gasped.</p><p>The troll was gamboling straight towards her. She tried to move, but gasped as she found her feet were a foot-deep in very sticky mud. <em>I'm stuck! </em>Terrified, she frantically tried to lift her feet.</p><p>"No!"</p><p>Timmy jumped forward and shoved Tecna out of the way. They lay in a stunned heap together, mud splattered over.</p><p>"Thanks," Tecna whispered, feeling slightly ashamed that she'd stood there so stupidly, illogically. <em>I should’ve been of help to my friends! </em>She forced herself off the mud, looking with distaste at her messy clothes.</p><p>She gazed at Timmy, the mud on his cheeks, his glasses askew. For a moment, he looked brave, even <em>cute</em>. But she forced the thought out of her mind as soon as she thought it.</p><p><em>Stop it</em>, she scolded herself. But she couldn't help it. Their eyes met again, and this time, she managed a small smile.</p><p>"Thanks a lot, girls," Riven grumbled. "Look what you made happen!"</p><p>"We <em>saved </em>you!" Stella snapped.</p><p>"Quiet down!" Flora whispered. "We don't want the vines to attack us!"</p><p>"That <em>thing </em>is attacking us!" Stella protested.</p><p>And it was. The troll was pulling itself out of the mud, although it hadn't caught them yet. The worst part was that the girls, with their black magic-restricting bands on, couldn't even defend themselves. Riven stepped forward.</p><p>"Listen," he snapped, "we'll get it ourselves."</p><p>"You can't defeat a <em>troll</em>!" Musa gasped. "You're only sophomores!"</p><p>"You don't need to," Timmy said suddenly. "I have a better idea."</p><p>Everyone looked at him. He grinned a toothy, nerdy smile, and again, Tecna felt her cheeks flame ever so slightly.</p><p>"Let's get the gag off!" he said.</p><p>"Why?" Riven snapped. "No one wants to hear that thing yell!"</p><p>"Exactly," Flora said. "And neither do the vines. I say it's worth a try!"</p><p>"Let's go!" Sky and Brandon said together. In a quick motion, they ran towards the troll, and yanked the gag off of its face.</p><p>The effect was instantaneous. The troll, sensing its freedom, leapt up and let out a horrendous yell.</p><p>Almost immediately, vines snaked around the creature, leaving it completely trapped and constricted. The troll let out a yell as it was wrapped, unable to fight back.</p><p>"Nice work!" Musa whisper-cheered.</p><p>Tecna stared at Flora. <em>I don't understand… </em>She stared down at the shorter girl.</p><p>"How'd you get it?" she whispered. "You didn't even use a map. And yet, you knew that danger was ahead, and that the troll was with it. How'd you find out?"</p><p>"I can't explain it," Flora said, scratching her forehead. "All I know is that my inner self was guiding me. What Palladium calls the Voice of Nature, I call intuition. It just seemed… natural."</p><p>"Hmm." Tecna frowned. "Intuition. I shall have to look that up at home."</p><p>And it seemed, even two years later, that Tecna hadn't made any strides in finding this thing called "intuition". It still seemed foreign to her, even after interacting with these amazing, confident girls. <em>How do I figure this out? </em>She frowned and looked up at Timmy, trying to find a suitable answer to his question.</p><p>"Well, I guess that has to do a lot with instinct and intuition," she said. "After all, luck is based off of the unknown, and so is intuition, too. Some people are just good with their instinctual drive." She gazed unhappily at the ground. "Not me, though."</p><p>"What?" Timmy stared at her. "That's not true, Tecna. You're <em>great </em>with instinct, in fact! Who was it that suspected Avalon when no one else would?"</p><p>"That was purely based off of logic," Tecna said, her cheeks flaming. "I wasn't a genius or anything."</p><p>"But that's its own type of intuition," Timmy protested. "Since you're so knowledgeable, you know when things are right and when they're wrong. You're great, Tecna! You just have to believe it. And I know you'll do great things" –</p><p>Her ears beeped. In alarm, Tecna stared as red letters flashed across her screen.</p><p>REMINDER TO ALL ALFEA STUDENTS, the letters read. MAGICAL PROTECTION BARRIER ACTIVATED BY TWENTY O'CLOCK.</p><p>"Oh no!" she exclaimed, checking her internal clock. "It's nearly twenty o'clock. I have to go back to the dorm."</p><p><em>And I need to finish coding my sets</em>, she realized. She'd been negligent in her work this past week, and really needed to make them up. <em>I should never have come out on this date. </em>But she hadn't regretted spending time with her boyfriend; it'd been too fun.</p><p>"Okay," Timmy said. "I'll give you a ride home."</p><p>"No," Tecna said, and Timmy stopped, surprised. "It'll be faster on my own. Besides, it's out of your way; I don't want you to go all the way to Alfea only to turn back to Red Fountain."</p><p>She kissed him on the cheek once and then turned away. For a moment, she thought she could detect a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, but that disappeared as he smiled. She turned around and headed to the outskirts of the city, following the path back to Alfea.</p><p><em>I'd better get back to campus quickly</em>, she thought. Inside or not, Griselda was activating the magical barrier at 20:00 sharp, which meant she had ten minutes and fifty-eight seconds to get there. <em>I'll fly; it'll be quicker.</em></p><p>But just as she was about to transform, someone spoke.</p><p>"Well, well."</p><p>Tecna froze instantly. Her nerves felt as if they were made out of ice, and she found she could hardly breathe. <em>No, not him… </em>She swallowed.</p><p>"Mr. Vasiliev," she breathed.</p><p>"Correct." A man with black armor and menacing yellow eyes smirked at her, standing tall above her. He smiled.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" Tecna gasped. How had this man, her worst nightmare, followed her all the way to Magix? <em>He's supposed to be in Zenith, looking over the lab!</em></p><p>"I wouldn't be worried about me," the man smiled. "I just saw you walking with that boy, out of a theater. Quite the rebel, aren't you?"</p><p>Tecna's mouth fell open. <em>Oh no oh no oh no oh no…</em></p><p>"Don't worry," the man smiled. "I have zero interest in telling your family. It would, quite frankly, be a waste of my time. But I know you haven't been spending enough time on my lab work, Tecna. You were supposed to finish four hundred sets this week, but you have barely finished two hundred." His eyes flashed. "I came here to give you some coaxing so you remember what comes first."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Tecna gasped, her eyes wide. "I" –</p><p>"You will finish six hundred sets tonight," Vasiliev responded. "If you are not done with the sets by morning, I will contact your parents and inform them, and they will withdraw you from Alfea."</p><p>"No!" Tecna's legs buckled. "Please, don't have them pull me from Alfea" –</p><p>"Well, you have a choice," the man smirked. "Finish them tonight or face the consequences. That's our deal." He walked up to her and stroked her leg.</p><p>"My little cyborg," he whispered. "I created you, out of metal and steel. And forever, your heart and soul shall be made of metal and steel, too."</p><p>Tecna wanted to pull away but couldn't. It was simply impossible. She gasped once, the memories this man had inflicted on her flooding back like a river of stone.</p><p>It had been a chilly day in Unimensis, her birth month. Tecna had been riding a hover-taxi home when, suddenly, it'd crashed and she'd been thrown to the street. The driver had been killed, along with the other two passengers, but she'd survived. At a cost.</p><p>Back then, Zenithian technology hadn't been as sophisticated as it was now, and 4D-printed arms and legs were hard to come by. But then Mr. Vasiliev, a gifted surgeon and printer, had stepped in. This man had fashioned all of her limbs and neural networks for her. In return, he expected her to work in his laboratory for no pay.</p><p>Her parents instantly agreed. They said she needed the training from Mr. Vasiliev, and if she protested, they simply punished her and ordered her to return to work again the next day. She'd never been able to explain to them exactly why she was afraid of him, about the controls. And she knew she never would.</p><p>"I have the controls," Vasiliev smirked. "It's time you learned your duty, Tecna. Your parents sent you here to this school so you could make them rise in their social circle, which is great and all, but that doesn't mean you're absolved of your debt. You will do those six-hundred sets; is that clear?"</p><p>Tecna nodded shakily. Memories flashed through her mind, of when she'd fought Darcy and Stormy in Alfea's campus, and how they'd all faced Darkar down. When it came to enemies attacking her friends, she had no qualms taking them down.</p><p>But she couldn't stand up to this man.</p><p>"That's a good girl," Vasiliev smirked. "Now, go and do your work. I'll be off." With a wave of his hand, he disappeared.</p><p>Tecna looked at her watch and gasped. 20:01. The magical barrier would've been set off by now. She collapsed on the ground, dazed.</p><p><em>I can't get back into Alfea</em>, she realized with dismay. <em>It's no use begging Griselda to open the barrier – she won't compromise the school's safety just for one girl. A girl who can't even keep herself together. </em>She buried her face into her hands.</p><p><em>No use whining</em>, a voice in her head scolded her. <em>It's your fault you ended up in this mess in the first place. You were going out with a boy instead of focusing on your duties. In fact, you've been remiss in your duties this entire time. What a fool you've been.</em></p><p>She would no longer do that again. She would finish all six-hundred of those sets tonight. No, she would do twelve hundred. <em>I'm not letting my emotional weaknesses take over. </em>Clenching her fists, she opened her backpack and pulled out her portable laptop, which she thankfully always kept with her.</p><p>
  <em>It's time to do this. It's time to fulfill my duty to my family and Vasiliev. It's time to be who I'm supposed to be again.</em>
</p><p>***</p><p>Tecna opened her eyes. The sunlight was incredibly bright, and she winced as she started up at the sky. It was high noon. She stared at her laptop, which was right in front of her.</p><p>She didn't know when she'd crashed. All she knew was that she'd slept entirely too long; her head felt woozy, as she wasn't used to such sleep. She opened her laptop to check, and gasped in disappointment.</p><p>She'd only finished eight hundred and forty-eight sets. Enough to keep Vasiliev's threat at bay, but not enough to fulfill what she'd promised herself. <em>I didn't get to twelve hundred… </em>Disappointment rose up in her, and she bowed her head.</p><p>"Tecna!" a voice behind her called. "There you are!"</p><p>Tecna jumped as if she had been shocked. <em>Who's that? </em>She gave a start as she saw who it was.</p><p>The five other Winx girls were flying above her. They flew down to the ground, and gasped at Tecna's muddy clothes and her tired eyes. The pixies were hovering over them as well, staring at her. Flora walked up to her and held her by the shoulders.</p><p>"Tecna," she said, "you have black circles around your eyes! You haven't been sleeping well at all! What happened?"</p><p>Tecna couldn't trust herself to speak. <em>Of course there're black circles… </em>She hadn't drunk any potion to remove them. In fact, she hadn't eaten or drunk anything at all since Vasiliev had cornered her.</p><p>"Did someone ambush you?" Musa demanded. "Were you attacked?"</p><p>Tecna tried to smile. "No, no one attacked me," she said. "I just had some work to do, and I got… carried away. And then I crashed."</p><p>"What kind of work?" Digit wanted to know. "What was so important you couldn't come back to the dorm?"</p><p>Tecna frowned. "Well," she said, "um"…</p><p>"Tecna, you've been out for eighteen hours," Flora said. "At first Griselda thought you'd missed curfew, and that was all it was. But then you didn't come back in the morning, and everyone grew worried. Then Faragonda sent us and the pixies out to look for you. Tecna, what happened? Why were you out for so long?"</p><p>"We're the Winx," Bloom added. "We don't keep secrets from each other. Come on, Tecna, just tell us."</p><p>Tecna looked at her friends, her five trusted friends, and the pixies that'd helped them find her, and felt a rush of gratitude. And she wished, more than anything, that she could tell them. <em>But I can't. </em>To tell them would be to go against her family's creed, to spurn everything Vasiliev had done for her.</p><p>"Nothing," she said. "Nothing at all."</p><p>***</p><p>She was punished by being grounded for a week, unable to leave the castle. Faragonda and Griselda had been unable to get anything out of her, either, and she lay on her bed, tired yet fiercely working. The other girls had given up on trying to get an explanation out of her, and had left to go out with each other, in a state of confusion.</p><p>Tecna stared dully in the face of her laptop, opening up the sets. <em>I must get to work… </em>She slammed her fingers down on the keyboard, forcing herself to finish the remaining three-hundred-and-fifty-two sets she had to write.</p><p>
  <em>I need to absolve my mistakes. I need to work…</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next pair:<br/>	Flora finds surprising information about her friend’s worldviews.<br/>	Flora and Mirta try to find information about Valtor.<br/>	Tecna recalls the day she met Flora.<br/>	The witches of Cloud Tower attack Alfea.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Shared Fate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a lazy day. The sun shined warmly on Flora as she lay on the ground, her eyes half-closed.</p><p>She lifted her head and looked over at Mirta, who was smiling. Their hands met. And then so did their lips, as the two of them lay entwined.</p><p>"This reminds me of the day I began my transformation," Mirta murmured as Flora stroked her hair. "Do you remember that?"</p><p><em>How could I forget? </em>thought Flora. That day had been very significant for both of them. She could still remember that day in Quintmensis, a little over a year ago…</p><p>The two had been sitting together in the waiting-room of Ganga Hospital. It was two weeks after Bloom, Stella, and Layla had departed for their mission. Flora, sick of moping around with Musa and Tecna, and always worrying about them, had elected to join Mirta at the hospital instead.</p><p>Flora carefully surveyed Mirta, whose rosy cheeks showed excitement. However, her eyes betrayed worry, worry she was trying her hardest to hide.</p><p>"Are you sure about this?" she asked. "You don't have to go through this, you know. We'll love you for who you are, no matter what."</p><p>"I'm sure," Mirta answered. "Dr. Iyengar warned me about the risks, but she also said my body is strong and healthy. She thinks I'll be able to make it through fine."</p><p>Flora nodded, though doubt was starting to settle in her heart. Not because she thought Mirta shouldn't transform; she knew that her friend would be much happier once inside a body she'd be comfortable with. But she was worried about the adverse medical effects it would have on her. Not to mention, how would her family react once they found the news?</p><p>"What are you saying to your parents?" she asked.</p><p>"I stayed here throughout the summer with Griffin, so we could work out the medical insurance stuff," Mirta answered. "You wouldn't believe it - she's become somewhat of a mother to me. I know she looks gruff and rude in the beginning, but once you get to know her, she's a really kind person. I told my parents I was staying at Cloud Tower over the winter, which wasn't a lie. They didn't really care; in fact, I bet they were glad to be rid of me"... She brushed a tear off her cheek.</p><p>"Don't say that," Flora said softly. "They're your <em>parents</em>. I'm sure they love you."</p><p>"No, they don't," Mirta answered, crossing her arms.</p><p>Flora sighed. Although a part of her still couldn't believe that parents could be this cruel, she understood and respected Mirta's decision not to tell them. She was glad that Griffin was treating her so kindly, though. The only problem was that, now that Cloud Tower had started, Mirta would be staying at the hospital.</p><p>"I'll come visit you as much as I can," she promised.</p><p>"Mirta Nakamura," a nurse called. Flora and Mirta immediately rose, following the nurse as she led them to Dr. Iyengar's office. The Magixian woman sat at her desk, gazing up at Mirta.</p><p>"Good morning," she said as the two girls sat in front of her. "Before we proceed, I have to re-remind you of the risks."</p><p>Mirta swallowed. Under the table, Flora squeezed her hand.</p><p>"The transformation will take anywhere between six to eight months," Iyengar said. "During that time, your magical abilities will be very limited. Unlike witches, a fairy's ability to fly is directly linked to her magical ability, so you won't be able to fly at all. You will also notice your body starting to change – it will be very disorienting for you. And even once you transform, you won't have the full abilities of a fairy."</p><p>Flora stared at Iyengar. "She won't?"</p><p>Iyengar shook her head. "A magical creature's magical source is untouchable. I can direct her magical energy in a different way, but I can't change her abilities. She will have enough energy to achieve her Winx status, and maybe even Charmix, but never Enchantix. Her magical source isn't made for fairy-dust. She'll also only have the lifespan of a witch; while most fairies live up to three-hundred, she may well only live up to two-hundred."</p><p><em>That isn't fair</em>, thought Flora. But she knew they had no choice. The doctor looked directly into Mirta's eyes.</p><p>"Of course, there's no telling the transformation will even succeed. At any time, your body could reject the potions and spells we're giving you, and then you would be stuck in a half-state between fairy and witch. As your body won't be able to survive like that, you'll die. I want you to understand that there's no guarantee of survival."</p><p>"I know," Mirta said, swallowing. "But I can't keep living like this. I'm going to do whatever it takes to become a fairy, or die trying."</p><p>"Very well, then." Iyengar nodded. "I just need you to sign here."</p><p>Flora watched Mirta's hands tremble as she signed the final form. The doctor motioned her hands, and a bed zoomed down from the wall.</p><p>"Lie on the bed," she ordered.</p><p>Mirta lay down. Flora sat directly across from her, watching her friend with worry. She gave her a small smile.</p><p>"Don't worry," she said. "You'll be fine."</p><p>The doctor closed her eyes. A ball of green light formed in her hands, and she focused on it. The sphere grew bigger and without warning, she thrust it into Mirta's heart.</p><p>The witch gasped as she was levitated into the air. Her hair flew up, only to fall back down. Her entire body seemed to shake, with surprise and shock. Then, without warning, she fell back to the bed.</p><p>"Mirta!" Flora was on her feet. "Are you all right?"</p><p>"She's fine," the doctor said, walking up to Mirta. "How do you feel?"</p><p>"I feel… great," Mirta said, and the doctor stared at her in surprise. "I feel a new energy running through me. It feels so right and – I think this was meant to be."</p><p>"You <em>do </em>look better," Flora whispered.</p><p>But Dr. Iyengar wasn't convinced. "I'm going to keep an eye on her. You can go now." She nodded at Flora, who headed out the door.</p><p>"I'll see you later," she whispered to Mirta, who smiled sleepily in assent.</p><p>And now they lay together, the breeze softly lifting past them. The sky was completely clear and gorgeously blue. <em>A perfect day… </em>She leaned over towards Mirta.</p><p>She felt her girlfriend move towards her, a gleam in her eyes. Flora put her arm around Mirta, gazing at her beautiful face. The two moved closer, their lips almost touching…</p><p>A rustle in the bushes. The two immediately jerked apart. Musa flew out of the bushes, her eyes wide.</p><p>"Flora, thank Symphonia you're here!" she cried. "We need you!"</p><p>"What is it?" Flora was already at her feet.</p><p>"Tecna's disappeared."</p><p>***</p><p>They'd found Tecna lying near Roccaluce Forest. She'd been half-asleep, confused and groggy as they woke her up. They'd tried to get answers out of her, but the technology fairy had refused to tell them what was going on.</p><p>"Something's been going on," said Bloom.</p><p>"Yeah," agreed Musa. "She's been totally out."</p><p>"She's been like this every day," Flora added. "She's been tired every day during Magiphilosophy, though she's done her best to hide it. And succeeded."</p><p>The Winx immediately turned around to stare at her.</p><p>"You didn't tell us that," Musa said.</p><p>"Yeah," agreed Stella. "You kept that from us."</p><p>Flora felt wounded as her friends stared at her accusingly, and swallowed.</p><p>"I didn't want to say anything," she admitted, "because I promised Tecna I wouldn't. I tried to get her to stop, but she just wouldn't. She won't listen to us, I'm sure. She won't listen to anyone."</p><p>"Well, we've got to stop her," Bloom declared. "Haven't you noticed she's been doing badly in all our classes? I mean, I thought it was stress, but she's been averaging C's on every test. And it's because of some Zenithian work!"</p><p>"We won't let her hurt herself," agreed Musa. "Friends don't let friends do that."</p><p>Flora frowned. <em>This doesn't sound like a good idea… </em>But she had no choice but to follow along and listen to their plans. After all, it was she who had supplied them with the information so pivotal.</p><p>***</p><p>But the Winx got no further than they had on the day they'd found her. Another week passed, and still, there was no sign that Tecna was getting any better. She occasionally came with them out for lunch, but she was appearing less and less frequently than before. In addition, her coursework was getting poorer and poorer. Avalon had even offered her extra help after school, which she'd of course declined.</p><p>Flora hated seeing her like this. But she also hated seeing the Winx gang up on her, like some sort of criminals. Not that there was anything criminal with what they were doing, of course – they genuinely believed they were helping. But what they'd done was nothing but painful.</p><p>Sextmensis 18 arrived, and Stella turned eighteen. The Winx celebrated her birthday by going out to the beach after class and eating <em>dolce luna</em>, a Solarian pastry made of milk chocolate and <em>fiores di luna</em>. Stella also insisted on doing individual makeovers that morning, which Tecna and Layla reluctantly acquiesced to. That night, they all settled down for a slumber party.</p><p>"Tecna, you've been kinda down lately," Bloom said.</p><p>"I have?" Tecna said, feigning surprise. Flora knew that this slumber party wasn't just about Stella's birthday; it was also about bringing Tecna closer to them. <em>Well, slumber parties never hurt anyone.</em></p><p>"Yeah," Stella said. "And since it's my birthday, I thought of something totally fun we could do together! Why don't we do a Teen Fairy Quiz?"</p><p>"Oh," said Tecna, trying to sound cheerful. "Good idea."</p><p>Flora frowned, remembering the last time they did one of those – in the Resort Realm. That same day, Stella got upset when Layla inadvertently reminded her of her parents' divorce, and Musa had stormed off after Jared accidentally reminded her of Riven, and his refusal to come to the Resort Realm with them. <em>That didn't end all that well… </em>She sighed.</p><p>"Alright." Bloom pulled one up on her phone. The girls eagerly crowded around her, and Flora pushed her worry to the back of her mind, trying to force herself to relax and have fun.</p><p>"Question number 1: Let's say you're in bad need of a wing-shave, but you procrastinated and forgot to go to the wing-waxer. And now you have a test in aeroflynamics. Would you a) rush to the wing-waxer, b) ask to take the test another day, or c) take the test and accept whatever grade you get?"</p><p>"Rush to the wing-waxer it is," Layla answered. "Thank Marinus I don't have to do <em>that </em>anymore!"</p><p>"Yeah, you with your super-stylish and non-waxable Enchantix wings," Musa said enviously. "I vote 'b'. I don't feel like bombing the test in front of everyone."</p><p>"Yeah, I vote 'b' too," Stella agreed. "DuFour's a total pushover."</p><p>"I'd just take the test," Flora said. "It's the grade I deserve; I'd be able to make it up with another test, anyways."</p><p>"What about you, Tecna?" Layla asked.</p><p>"Huh?" Tecna frowned. "Oh yeah. I'd go to the wing-waxer."</p><p>Flora frowned. Tecna didn't appear to really be paying attention, and by the looks of it, the other girls noticed too. <em>I just hope she isn't doing more calculations in her head… </em>Bloom frowned and went to the next page.</p><p>"Question number 2: There's this boy in your potions' class that you're totally crushing on, and you want to meet him. Do you a) send him an anonymous love letter, b) make a love-potion for him to like you, or c) go up to him and tell him how you feel?"</p><p>"Ooh, here's the juicy stuff," Stella grinned.</p><p>Flora didn't see how juicy it was. She could understand why her friends were so boy-crazy; she'd been crazy about girls once she hit puberty, too. Yet, conversations like these always made her feel like the outsider, and especially now that she had a girlfriend, it was even more awkward.</p><p>"The love potion's the way to go," Stella said. "Totally tempting."</p><p>"Love potions aren't <em>real</em>, Stell," Layla said, rolling her eyes. "Just tell him how you feel. It's not that hard."</p><p>"Ha!" Musa laughed. "Come and tell me <em>that </em>when you find a boyfriend, Layla. I vote 'b'. If he sings love-songs for me, that's an added bonus."</p><p>"What about you, Flora?" Bloom asked.</p><p>Flora frowned. <em>What did I do with Mirta? </em>She remembered how shy she'd been last year, terrified to tell her. "Probably 'a'."</p><p>"Tecna!" Stella called out. "Wake up, girl!"</p><p>"What?" asked Tecna, pulling herself up from the pillow. "Sorry. I'd probably do 'a', too."</p><p>"Okay." Bloom looked at her list. "Question number 3 – er, this is a weird one" –</p><p>"What is it?" Musa asked.</p><p>"If you were alone with a really pretty girl and, out of nowhere, she told you that she <em>like </em>liked you, would you a) start to sweat nervously, b) reciprocate her feelings, or c) run out the room?"</p><p>For a moment, there was silence. Flora stared around awkwardly, and the other girls looked startled.</p><p>Finally, Stella spoke. "Um… 'c' all the way? How awkward is that?"</p><p>"It's not that weird," Musa said. "There're gay men in my hometown. They're fairly chill. Although, in that situation… I'd definitely vote 'a'."</p><p>"My parents have some gay friends," Bloom asked. "But I'm with Musa on this. It'd be totally weird if another girl had the hots for me."</p><p>"It's just… wrong." Layla sat down, her arms crossed. "About a few centuries ago, there was a prince in the Androsian royal family who announced on interrealm television that he was gonna marry another man. Let's just say it didn't go well. Yeah… I don't get that. Why would anyone have feelings for someone of the same gender?"</p><p>"How weird would it be if someone was like that here at Alfea?" Stella asked.</p><p>Flora felt as if her heart had just stopped beating. <em>Oh no… </em>She lowered her head and stared at the ground.</p><p>Not for the first time, she was fiercely grateful that her friends didn't know she was with Mirta. <em>If they found out, that would be the end… </em>She couldn't let them know anything about their relationship.</p><p>"Um," she said, trying to make light of the situation, "I" –</p><p>"I can't believe it!" Bloom suddenly groaned. "Tecna's asleep again!"</p><p>And she was. Tecna was lying on the pillows, her mouth open and snores loud. Musa walked over to her.</p><p>"It's gonna take more than one slumber party for her to start opening up," she said. "She's totally zonked out."</p><p>***</p><p>Flora didn't tell anyone about her friends' feelings about gay people. She didn't even tell Mirta about what they'd said. Three more weeks passed, and they continued to spend time together, hanging out in each other's apartments and walking in the woods.</p><p>Anyways, Mirta already had plenty to be anxious about. Metamorphosis and Charms came easily to her, and as a former witch, her knowledge of Potions surpassed that of even the Winx girls. She was even okay with Professor Patel's History of Magic class, although she hated how warlocks were always spoken about in a negative manner. But her biggest problem was with Palladium's Spellbound class. As a new fairy, she was still struggling to understand her magical mechanisms, and was finding it very difficult to control her powers.</p><p>Tecna had been wrong; Eris wasn't getting tired of taunting Mirta. In fact, she was getting even worse. One day, when Flora and Mirta were walking together in Roccaluce Forest, Mirta suddenly tripped and fell on the ground.</p><p>"Mirta!" Flora was on her knees. "What's wrong?"</p><p>Mirta didn't answer. Flora helped her up and stared at the ground, seeing a sharp stone on the ground. <em>That wasn't there before… </em>She stared at it, confused and alarmed.</p><p>"Hello."</p><p>Flora spun around. Eris and her friends were standing behind them, sniggering, and Flora clenched her fists. <em>That's such a juvenile trick… </em>The Eraklyonese fairy stepped forward, smirking.</p><p>"Such a loser," she said. "Well, that's what happens when you decide to set foot on a sacred establishment meant solely for fairies."</p><p>"Leave me alone." Mirta tried to sound brave, but Flora knew how scared she was. She glared at Eris.</p><p>"We're tired of your attitude," she said. "What's Mirta ever done to <em>you</em>? Leave her alone!"</p><p>"I see you've been completely brainwashed by this hag." Eris rolled her eyes. "Well, you <em>are </em>a Linphean, after all – you people are the definition of stupid. No wonder Zenith's been beating you guys."</p><p>"Leave <em>her </em>alone!" Mirta stepped forward.</p><p>"You two are so predictable," Eris smirked. "Seriously? What, are you both homos together or something?"</p><p>Flora froze. <em>First the girls, now Eris… What if they figure it out? </em>She forced herself to look as shocked as possible. Fortunately, Eris answered her own question with a laugh.</p><p>"Of course you aren't. Even you wouldn't date a <em>girl</em>." She gagged. "That would be just <em>disgusting</em>." The girls behind her nodded. Instantly, Flora thought of Layla and Stella's reactions to the questionnaire, and winced.</p><p>Mirta stepped forward, her hands sparking with a spell. Flora put her hand on Mirta's shoulder.</p><p>"Mirta, don't!" she whispered. "We'll get in trouble" –</p><p>"Go ahead," Eris sneered. "I'm waiting, <em>hag</em>. Let's see if you can take <em>me </em>down!"</p><p>Mirta glared at Eris, nothing but pure fury in her eyes. The other girls behind Eris watched with interest as the former witch created a ball in her hands.</p><p>"Mirta, don't do it!" Flora whispered. "She's trying to bait you, don't you see? Don't try anything! She'll report you and" –</p><p>The spell escaped her girlfriend's hands. But instead of hitting Eris, it backfired on Mirta, hitting her in the chest. Flora screamed as an explosion filled the air.</p><p>"Mirta!" She knelt on the ground, staring in alarm at her girlfriend.</p><p>Mirta's hair was completely singed off. She was completely bald, nothing except for her head. Burn-marks appeared at the top of her forehead, and there were tears in her eyes.</p><p>Eris and her friends howled with laughter.</p><p>"Classic hag move," she crowed. "Trying to burn off my hair! You're not even good enough to be a hag, actually. I bet even your Cloud Tower friends don't want anything to do with you. You aren't good enough to be <em>anything</em>."</p><p>"That's enough!" Flora stood on her feet, glaring at Eris.</p><p>But Eris and her gang seemed to have had enough. "Later, hags and hag-traitors." Within a second, they'd vanished.</p><p>Flora held Mirta, who was sobbing. "Don't worry," she said soothingly. "I know how to reverse the spell." She closed her eyes.</p><p>Not for nothing was she grateful she'd taken the Magical Maladies class last semester. Under Professor Aditi's instruction, she'd learned how to reverse simple spell, potion, and charm damage. Mirta's hair grew back to normal, and the burn marks disappeared.</p><p>Mirta clung to Flora and wept, tears falling down her cheeks.</p><p>"She's right," she whispered. "I'm so bad at this. I'm not a witch, I'm not a fairy, I'm not <em>anyone</em>. I'll never learn Palladium's spells."</p><p>"You just need practice," Flora said soothingly. "Palladium understands it's difficult for you. You'll get it in time."</p><p>"But she's right," Mirta cried. "Lucy hasn't even bothered to contact me in ages. I think something's wrong."</p><p>"What?" Flora stared at her. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"I haven't heard a thing from Cloud Tower in weeks," Mirta said, looking scared. "I think something's happened there."</p><p>"I don't think anything's happened," Flora tried to console her. "Ms. Faragonda hasn't warned us about anything."</p><p>"She's been keeping so secretive about Valtor," Mirta pointed out, "so why would she tell us anything? What if this is one of his ploys?"</p><p>"I" – Flora couldn't deny Faragonda was being very secretive, and quite frankly, she couldn't understand why.</p><p>"I want to go to the library and see if we can read up some information about this Valtor guy," said Mirta. "I mean, I've checked the Winx Wide Web, but there's not much known about him. It's like his entire existence has been kept a secret."</p><p>"That's true." Flora frowned. After all, plenty had been known about Darkar, the Shadow Phoenix, and they'd done their research on him. So why was it so hard to find information about Valtor?"</p><p>"I've checked the regular library, but I don't see any information about him there," Mirta continued on. "That made me realize, Flora, what's going on. I bet you anything Faragonda's hidden all the information about him in the Golden Gate."</p><p>"The Golden Gate?" Flora took in a breath. The Golden Gate was the restricted section of the library, and was guarded by spell and key. "Mirta, what are you saying?"</p><p>"I'm saying we break into there and open the gate."</p><p>Flora gasped at Mirta. "What? Mirta, we could get in serious trouble for doing that!"</p><p>"I know," said Mirta, and a flash came over her eyes. "But I want to know who we're up against. If Valtor <em>has </em>gone to Cloud Tower and done something, I need to know how horrible he is. I don't know why Faragonda can't just tell us what's going on; if we don't know anything about him, how are we supposed to fight him?" She clenched her fists. "I need to go, Flora, and I need you by my side."</p><p>Flora hesitated. She doubted the Golden Gate would even open for them, or that it was possible to force their way through. But she understood Mirta's frustration; for her, there was no holding back. And she would support her the whole way.</p><p>"All right." She took in a breath. "Let's do it."</p><p>***</p><p>The girls tiptoed their way out of their apartments and down the corridor, Chatta flying behind them. Flora had cast a silencing spell on their feet, but she didn't know long it would last. Since Mirta, as a night-fairy, had illusion-powers, she knew how to make them invisible so they wouldn't be caught.</p><p>"But it won't fool all the teachers," Flora pointed out. "Barbatea and Patel, sure. If Faragonda or Wizkiz come across us, we're dead."</p><p>"Or Avalon," Mirta pointed out.</p><p>Flora felt a shiver go down her back at that statement. She didn't know why Avalon still frightened her so much, or why she was so mistrustful of him. She bowed her head.</p><p>"All right," Chatta whispered, drawing to a halt. "I'll wait out here for you guys. If anyone comes by, I'll send you a signal!"</p><p>"Thanks, Chatta," Flora whispered to her pixie. "You've been a big help." She turned around to Mirta and took her hand. "Come on," she said.</p><p>The two made it to the secret corridor leading to the library, the one Bloom had discovered in the first week of sophomore year. They peered through the door, staring.</p><p>"Barbatea won't be around," Flora whispered. "She doesn't sleep near the library. She'll be in her room, like the other staff members." Each word sounded like a sharp noise in the air, and she winced at her own power.</p><p>"Look." Mirta had pointed to the Golden Gate, which stood sharply at them. "Maybe we should concentrate our energy to open it."</p><p>"Okay." Flora nodded. "I'll use my Charmix."</p><p>The girls transformed and flew towards the lock, frowning. Flora remembered Palladium's lock-opening incantation from Spellbound 101, and she focused her energy.</p><p>"<em>Reserare</em>!" she shouted, closing her eyes.</p><p>But the spell backfired. As soon as it hit the lock, it turned into an electric bolt, and zoomed back at them. Flora and Mirta both screamed, falling back.</p><p>Flora winced and stood up. A dust-cloud had settled over their heads, and she coughed madly. The cloud cleared to reveal Mirta lying motionless on the floor.</p><p>"Mirta!" she shouted, running to her. The girl was back in her civilian outfit, breathing but not altogether stable. "Are you all right?"</p><p>"She's fine," a voice behind her said. "I wouldn't say the same about you."</p><p>Flora gasped in alarm, turning around. A man was striding towards them, wearing white flannel nightclothes. <em>Avalon… </em>She drew back in fear as soon as he knelt down, shaking his head sadly.</p><p>"Library duty," he responded in answer to her expression. "My pager notified me as soon as you cast that spell." He nodded to the item around his neck. "You're not the first to try that, let me tell you that."</p><p>"Oh." Suddenly Flora felt foolish, and she stared at the ground.</p><p>"I know you are all worried about Valtor," Avalon continued, "but this is not the right way to go around it. You cannot sneak around at the night and try to look for answers. We're keeping this from you for your own safety."</p><p><em>Really? </em>thought Flora. <em>Is it really safe for us to not know how to defend ourselves? </em>She stared at Avalon.</p><p>"But we need to know," she said desperately. "It's not just curiosity about Valtor, Professor! We think Cloud Tower's under attack."</p><p>"Is it?" asked Avalon, though his gaze reflected the slightest hint of alarm. Flora caught it and stared at him.</p><p>"So? You know about it! You know something's up!" She stared at him. "So why won't you just tell us?"</p><p>"Headmistress's orders," he answered curtly. "Now, I'm going to escort you both back to bed." He moved forward to pick up Mirta, but Flora stopped him.</p><p>"Look, Professor, all we want to do is defend our school," she said weakly. "We weren't trying to be a pain in the school system, but we need to know what's going on. Please, don't make us go back."</p><p>"I already told you," Avalon answered. "These aren't my rules."</p><p>"But don't you remember being trapped in Shadowhaunt?" Flora pressed on. "I don't mean to hurt you by bringing up those memories, Professor, but didn't you feel helpless? As if you couldn't do anything? Well, that's how Mirta and I feel right now. We need to do this, Professor. We need to save Alfea!"</p><p>Something in Avalon's gaze shifted. He stared at her, and she held his gaze firm. Green eyes met brown. He stared, and then finally nodded.</p><p>"Alright, I will tell you," he said. "I'll tell you, because I believe you are more mature than the other girls. But I don't want you telling anyone else. Not even Mirta."</p><p>"Okay," Flora nodded.</p><p>"Cloud Tower has been silent for over a week," Avalon said. "Headmistress Faragonda has tried contacting Headmistress Griffin, to no avail. We cannot say for sure whether it was Valtor, as he has left us no signs."</p><p>"But don't you think it was him?" Flora cried.</p><p>"Like I said, we cannot say for sure," said Avalon grimly. "That is the reason why she hasn't alerted the students – she doesn't want to cause a mass panic. But I will warn you that he is after us, and he's going to come to Alfea next. Not just because of our treasures, but because of someone far greater, someone he knows will be the end of him. Bloom."</p><p>"Bloom?" Flora gasped. The panic they'd all faced at the end of last year, after her disappearance, was still fresh in her mind. "I-is he going to capture her, like Darkar?"</p><p>"Certainly not." Avalon shook his head. "He doesn't want her even around. He wouldn't be able to stand seeing someone else who has his power."</p><p>"But" – Suddenly, it became clear to her. "Valtor! He's got the Dragon Fire!" She paced around. "No wonder Bloom said she sensed him!"</p><p>"Exactly." Avalon nodded. "But there is more to it than that, Flora. All fairies power-sources are at the essence of their spirits, the essence of their survival. And whatever puts Bloom's power out will put Valtor's out, too."</p><p>"You're saying"… Flora breathed.</p><p>"I'm saying," answered Avalon, "that whatever kills Valtor will kill Bloom as well. Their fates are inevitably tied. And in order for Valtor to be defeated, they may both have to die – together.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Alfea Under Siege</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Tecna, are you okay?"</p><p>Tecna sipped her coffee absentmindedly, the heat of the day pouring down her cheeks. The outdoor seating-area of the café was fairly crowded, people chatting cheerfully with their boyfriends or girlfriends. She lifted her head slowly and gazed up at Timmy.</p><p>"Yes," she said tiredly. "I'm fine."</p><p>She'd lost track of how many people had asked her that question in the past week. She'd tried to blow people off, telling them she'd just missed curfew and fallen asleep in a patch of mud.</p><p>But something just wasn't the same anymore. After finding Tecna in the forest, the Winx now thought there was something wrong with her, and kept trying to figure it out. Stella kept pulling Tecna over to do a makeover, and Layla would stop at nothing to get her to learn how to dance. Activities they knew she hated. It was like they were determined to change her.</p><p>"No, you're not," Timmy said. "I know something's going on. Tec, the other girls told me your work still hasn't let up, and it's taking up so much of your time. Can't you speak to Vasiliev and get him to let you off?"</p><p>"No," Tecna answered. "I'm lucky in comparison to so many of my colleagues. My workload is actually a lot less."</p><p>"I don't believe that," Timmy answered. "He probably told you that just to make you feel bad. Besides, your colleagues probably aren't juggling school and a full-time job together." He looked at her in concern. "It's coding, right? Is this something I can help you" –</p><p>"No," said Tecna forcefully; she couldn't tell him how Vasiliev had ambushed her the other night. "It's top-secret; I don't even know what the project's about. I'm forbidden from showing anyone the code. If I do, I could be imprisoned without even a trial" –</p><p>"Don't worry," Timmy said, trying to look brave. "We'll sort this out together, Tecna. You'll be okay."</p><p>Tecna closed her eyes. <em>I can't start crying now… </em>She seldom cried for any reason, and wasn't about to start.</p><p>"In the meantime, is there anything I can do?" Timmy asked.</p><p>The pink-haired fairy paused. <em>I should tell him everything… </em>He was the sweetest boy she'd ever met. If she told him what Vasiliev had done, it would be a great weight off her shoulders.</p><p><em>But I can't… </em>To do that would be a death sentence. And then she would lose her friends as well. She swallowed, not meeting his gaze.</p><p>"No," she said. "I have it under control."</p><p>***</p><p>"Good evening. This is the Magix Modern Matrix Foreign News Channel. We are here to report on a very deadly issue."</p><p>Tecna lifted her head. She and Flora were sitting in the common-section of their apartment, waiting for the news to come on. And now that it had, she pushed all other thoughts out of her life, watching intently as the newscaster spoke.</p><p>"With the rise of this mysterious villain called Valtor, there has been nothing but discord. He has taken the magical relics of Melody, Solaria, Andros, and Eraklyon, four prestigious realms of the UR. Every realm is on high-alert now, for there is no telling where he will strike next."</p><p>Tecna stared at the screen in silence. Next to her, Flora was planting vegetables in pots, trying to stay busy, though she saw the worried look in her friend's eyes.</p><p>"I don't understand," Tecna said, frowning at her laptop. "I've checked everywhere for information, and there's nothing about Valtor. Nobody knows who he is."</p><p>"But then how did he get locked in Omega?" Flora asked.</p><p>"I don't know," Tecna answered. It seemed highly troubling to her; after all, such a case should've gone public. "I've checked every court record I can, and nothing has come up!"</p><p>"Maybe he's using a different name and a disguise," Flora suggested.</p><p>"Perhaps. Or maybe"... Tecna gazed down at the screen. "Maybe Ms. Faragonda knows something that she's not telling us."</p><p>"Really?" Flora stared at Tecna. "Why do you think that?"</p><p>"Think about it, Flora." Tecna got up and stared out the window. "You said she lost her temper with Stella after curing her of her monster transformation. She's kept mum about everything, and seems to be doing everything she can not to discuss Valtor on campus. How could she possibly <em>not </em>know?"</p><p>"Well"... Flora looked down at the seeds she was planting. "I don't know, Tec. That sounds awfully far-fetched, especially considering there's no information about him online."</p><p>"There's nothing far-fetched about it!" Tecna felt a sense of irritation surge up in her. "It's perfectly logical, Flora. Why else would she" -</p><p>A flash across the screen startled her. Looking up, she saw the red letters signal BREAKING NEWS: ZENITH IMPOSES SEVERE SANCTIONS ON LINPHEA.</p><p>Tecna turned towards Flora, who was staring at the screen in shock. The newscaster, looking unusually grave, began to speak in a rapid pace.</p><p>"We received intel a few minutes ago that Zenith has placed sanctions on Linphea. In addition to the growing trade-war, Zenith is no longer selling any technological innovations to Linphea, including cell phones, computers, and other techno-gadgets."</p><p>Tecna gasped. <em>Linphea depends on Zenith for its market! </em>Although Linphea was the strongest agricultural realms in the UR, everyone depended on Zenith for a steady export of technology. <em>This is going to mess Linphea's economy - as well as ours! </em>She turned towards Flora, who had a shocked expression on her face.</p><p>"Oh no," she whispered. "What happened" -</p><p>"Queen Isabel of Linphea released a statement about this action," the newscaster continued on. "'Zenith's actions are reminiscent of old colonial times, and are unacceptable in a new world where we are moving past imperialism. Make no mistake, the Linphean people will fight back.'"</p><p>And Tecna couldn't blame her. In her past years at Alfea, she'd come to see the actions of her regime as horrendous. What was truly depressing was that the Zenithian government refused to do anything about its starving civilian population at home; instead, it was perpetually in a prove-nothing race against its former colony. <em>I used to fall for that propaganda, too… </em>She sighed, remembering her first day in Magix.</p><p>From the moment she'd stepped on Magixian soil, it was clear that this realm was a completely different world from Zenith. For starters, it was <em>hot</em>. For another, the sun was shining so brilliantly, a brightness that Tecna was completely unaccustomed to.</p><p>But most striking of all was how <em>friendly </em>the people were. There was so much chatter on the street, so much bustling and excitement. And it scared her, how foreign this world was.</p><p>In Zenith, nobody talked in the streets. There was too much fear cloaking the world, too much terror. And it just wasn't a good idea to speak unless absolutely necessary.</p><p>She had walked shakily into the road, staring around. Unfortunately, she'd downloaded no information about Magix, which made it harder to process what was going on. <em>If only I had my scanners functioning like they do at home… </em>She closed her eyes, trying to connect to the Web in Magix.</p><p>She gasped as someone knocked her over. Startled, Tecna fell to the ground, her wiring abuzz. A few seconds later, she heard a voice.</p><p>"Oh my goody goodness! I'm so sorry!"</p><p>Tecna squinted. A plant was coiling around her, and she stared blankly at it, its leaves turning up at her, its mouth (plants had a <em>mouth</em>?) shouting something at her in a different language. A light brown-skinned girl with honey-brown hair peered over her, her emerald green eyes clouded with worry.</p><p>"I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to knock you over, but my plant doesn't like it when people knock over him, and I've been trying to keep him in order. So, I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to get everything in one piece" -</p><p>Tecna looked up at the girl. In addition to the plant, she was carrying a suitcase and a backpack. <em>Why is she doing that? </em>She stared blankly at her.</p><p>"I'm going to Alfea," the girl continued on, "so sorry if I'm a bit preoccupied."</p><p>"Er, so am I," Tecna said awkwardly.</p><p>"Really?" The girl looked surprised. "So can we go together?"</p><p>"Um"... Tecna wasn't sure about going anywhere with other people. After all, she was supposed to stick to herself. <em>But I don't know the way… </em>It might be safer to go with someone. "Okay."</p><p>"Great!" The girl grinned at her. "Let's go."</p><p>The girls walked together. Tecna followed along as Flora struggled with her bags, trying her best to levitate the suitcase but unsuccessful.</p><p>"So," she said, trying to lighten the mood. "Where are you from?"</p><p>"Zenith," Tecna said uncertainly.</p><p>"Really?" The girl looked shocked, and for a moment, she pulled ever-so-slightly away from Tecna. "You don't look that Zenithian, except for your hair! I thought you were Whisperian or something."</p><p><em>That's completely ridiculous</em>, thought Tecna. Her mother did have some Whisperian blood from her side, but she didn't look any different from any other Zenithian. <em>Except for the cyborg part… </em>She felt a slight stab of pity overcome her.</p><p>"What are you?" she asked abruptly, her voice short and clipped.</p><p>"I'm" -</p><p>A sudden bird's screech filled the air. Tecna stopped short, and stared in front of her, horrified.</p><p>"What's going on?" she heard a man shout.</p><p>Tecna whirled around. A group of birds were attacking a storeowner, and he was jumping back, looking horrified. Other people were stopping in their tracks, staring at the man with mouths wide open. A few ran away.</p><p>"Oh no!" the other girl gasped, staring at the man.</p><p>Tecna tried to scan the birds, but in vain. <em>They're Magixian birds, and I don't have any intel on them… </em>She could only watch helplessly as the birds attacked the man. A few dove into his store.</p><p>"We have to do something!" the girl said desperately.</p><p><em>We do? </em>thought Tecna, utterly taken aback. <em>No, we need to run away! </em>She'd come across occasions in Zenith where robots had malfunctioned, shooting electric rays at their owners and singeing their clothes. "Stop! We need to get out of here!"</p><p>But the other girl was already running towards the scene. "Stay away from him!" She focused her energy on the vines around the store.</p><p><em>What's she doing? </em>The vines began to move, rising up towards the birds. Without growing in height, they wrapped themselves around them, catching them in their grip.</p><p>"What's she doing?" someone in the crowd shouted. "She's gonna get hurt!"</p><p>Suddenly, the birds broke out of the binds. They flew towards the girl, screeching and yelling.</p><p><em>No! </em>Alarm shot through Tecna, and she lifted her hands. "Digital net!"</p><p>A net appeared in front of the girl. The birds collided into them, letting out a terrifying screech as they fell to the ground.</p><p>Tecna ran towards the girl, breathless. "Are you all right?"</p><p>"I'm fine," the girl panted. "Thanks for saving me." She looked up and towards the crowd.</p><p>Magix Police vehicles were appearing on the scene. Tecna shrank back, suddenly conscious of what she'd done. <em>Not police… no, no, no! Why did I do this? Why didn't I stay out of trouble? </em>She squeezed her eyes shut.</p><p>Two policemen arrived and followed the storeowner into the store. A policewoman arrived and knelt down on the ground, picking up the fallen birds.</p><p>"Spelled," she announced. "Someone spelled them to attack the store."</p><p><em>Really? </em>Tecna stared at her, taken aback. The policewoman continued on.</p><p>"We'll take these birds to the Animal Conservatory to have them healed. They'll be fine," she added, to the other girl's worried look. "Now, what are your names?"</p><p>"Flora Fernández," the other girl said.</p><p>"And you?" The policewoman looked at Tecna.</p><p>Tecna shrank back in horror. <em>However am I going to explain this to my parents? </em>That she'd been so stupid, getting into trouble on the first day? <em>This is it. This is the end.</em></p><p>"Tecna," she finally managed, her words coming out tight.</p><p>"Zenithian, aren't you?" the woman asked, and for a moment, her eyes hardened. "Well, I can assure you we are not here to attack you, Tecna. The Magixian police have far more important matters on their mind than incarcerating civilians without due process."</p><p>Tecna stared at her, dumbfounded. <em>What does due process mean?</em> She could hardly believe it. <em>I'm not in trouble?</em></p><p>"We were just on our way to Alfea when this happened," Flora added.</p><p>"I daresay!" the woman said warmly. "Well, you're going to be wonderful fairies one day. That was excellent work, you too."</p><p>"They saved my store." The storeowner emerged from inside the store, looking amazed. "What's even more impressive is that a Linphean and a Zenithian worked together to make this possible."</p><p><em>She's </em>Linphean<em>? </em>Tecna stared at Flora, stunned. <em>What?</em></p><p>She'd never met a Linphean in her life. The only thing she knew about Linpheans was that they were dirty, uneducated, backwoods peasants. At least, that's what she'd been told her entire life. All throughout her life, she'd seen cartoons of naked Linpheans, painting them as foolish, low-down people.</p><p>But this girl wasn't dirty or uneducated. If anything, she was one of the brightest, kindest people she'd ever met. She'd saved the birds, without any regard to her own safety. And she'd been brave enough to step in the heat of things, when no one else in the crowd would.</p><p>"I know," the woman said, sounded impressed. "It's youth like these that make me hopeful for the future. Because of them, I see a bright dawn coming our way."</p><p>And now Tecna sat next to Flora as she planted seeds in her pot, not unlike the seeds of their relationship. She let out a sigh.</p><p>"When we first met," she admitted, "I thought you were a dirty, uneducated person. That's how the Zenithian media paints you guys – to us, all Linpheans are primitive." Flora stared at her in surprise.</p><p>"But I was so wrong," Tecna continued. "You're one of the bravest people I've ever known, Flora. I'm so glad I was proved wrong. And… I've come to realize that the Zenithian media is filled with lies." She hung her head.</p><p>There was a silence, and then Flora said, "Can I tell you something, Tecna?"</p><p>"Sure," Tecna said dismally.</p><p>"Linpheans have a media, too," Flora said. "We don't have mass propaganda like Zenith, but we have some pretty caustic stereotypes of Zenithians, too. In fact, when I first met you, I wanted to pull away. And if that bird attack hadn't have occurred, I would've left you and never spoken to you again. I thought all Zenithians were war-raging monsters who didn't care how many people they hurt."</p><p>"Really?" Tecna said in shock. "That's the last thing from our minds!"</p><p>"I know," Flora nodded. "The truth is, you guys need to survive as much as we do. Our governments cause problems, but when it comes down to the people, they truly aren't aggressive at all. All they want is to feed their families and live stable lives. But since our governments are far too radical"... She sighed.</p><p>"They blow everything out of proportion," Tecna finished. "The Zenithian government's actions are disgusting; it literally wants to take over Linphea. What are its policies – Linphea first, Zenithians never? That's how it's become." She let out a sigh.</p><p>Flora smiled. "Well, whatever's going on with our respective nations, I'm glad it hasn't come between us. It's great hanging out with you, Tecna." She smiled at the technology fairy.</p><p>And, like last time, Tecna found herself smiling back. <em>I'm glad she's my friend, too… </em>In that moment, an incredible wave of relief came over her, relief that Flora didn't hold her realm's actions against her. And that, no matter what happened out there in the world, their friendship would hold through the test of time.</p><p>***</p><p>Palladium's Magical Connections' class was starting to become Tecna's favorite now, and not because of the content. No, it was because she could close her eyes and take a semi-nap, completely tuning out his boring lecture. Not to mention, since none of the other Winx shared that class with her, she didn't have to deal with their concern. Of course, it wouldn't be helpful when they actually started doing spells, but when he was going over theory, it was very useful.</p><p>All throughout the class, she closed her eyes, completely ignoring everyone else as she relaxed her aching head. Her brain was still buzzing from all the wiring, but she ignored it, trying her best to get a few minutes of rest. <em>That's all I've been getting nowadays… </em>But there was no use complaining; Vasiliev's work didn't get finished on its own.</p><p>The bell rang. She looked around and saw the other girls picking up their things, heading to their dorms for a break before the next class. Tecna got up to follow them, but Palladium blocked her way.</p><p>"Not you," he said. "Stay back. I need to talk to you."</p><p><em>Great</em>, thought Tecna as she sat down in her chair. Palladium sat down and placed two balls on his desk, one metal and one plastic.</p><p>"I want you to create a connector-spell," he said. "Come on, fuse the two balls together so that the plastic is forced inside the metal."</p><p><em>That shouldn't be too hard</em>, thought Tecna, focusing her energy. She created an electrical-current in her hands, and shot it straight at the balls. Taken by the impact of the spell, she fell back, stunned at how much energy it took. Opening her eyes, she gazed at the desk.</p><p>Nothing. The plastic ball hadn't even moved a centimeter. He simply dusted himself and stared at Tecna, who was lying on the ground.</p><p>"We've practiced this spell for weeks now," he said, walking towards her. She took his hand and stood herself up, feeling dazed. "Tecna, you should be able to do this. You haven't been applying yourself at all with your spells."</p><p>"I'm sorry," she said, but Palladium ignored her. He reached into his desk and pulled something out.</p><p>"And these," he said, "are your quizzes from Advanced Battle. I've never seen you get such poor scores. You've always been good with spell theory, but you made basic mistakes now."</p><p>Tecna stared at the quiz. She'd gotten a 74% on one and a 52% on the other, which, in her books, was a fail. Red marks crossed out every mistake, and she winced at the sight.</p><p>"You've never gotten below an 80% on theory exams before." Palladium frowned at her. "Tecna, is there something going on in your personal life that we need to know about? Something that's preventing you from doing your work?"</p><p>"No," said Tecna instantly. "Absolutely nothing."</p><p>"You disappeared from campus a few weeks ago," Palladium responded, "for no apparent reason. You never do anything without a reason. That gives me good reason to believe something's going on." He sighed. "I'm going to give you extra coaching after class."</p><p>"But" – Tecna gasped.</p><p>"No buts," he said firmly. "I've spoken with Headmistress Faragonda, and she's agreed. You need to learn these spells, Tecna. How do you think you're going to learn to defend the Magical Dimension if you don't learn? How will you graduate?"</p><p><em>Does he have to give me a lecture? </em>Tecna thought irritably. It seemed like everyone was ready to lecture her these days. Even Digit was starting to get annoyed.</p><p>"You told me I'd only be doing your homework for a few weeks at most," she had said. "It's been months, Tecna. It's nearly Octomensis, and you still haven't been doing homework <em>at all</em>. I thought your work was going to let up!"</p><p>"I thought so, too," Tecna said with gritted teeth. "I'm sorry, Digit. Maybe in another few weeks."</p><p>"You say that <em>every few weeks</em>," Digit answered, "and it hasn't worked. Seriously, Tecna! How do you expect things to change?"</p><p>"I'm sorry," Tecna sighed.</p><p>"You need to actually spend time doing your own homework," Digit said. "The reason why you can't even do these attack spells is because you don't <em>know </em>them! You don't know the theory, the practice, nothing! How do you expect to" –</p><p>"Please stop!" Tecna cried out. Her head was buzzing with her wiring, and she didn't know how much longer she could take this. "You don't know how hard this is for me! Please, Digit." Her tone became begging. "Please do this for me."</p><p>Digit gave in, her voice wavering.</p><p>"Fine," she said. "But don't think I'm happy about it." She sauntered off, leaving Tecna to hopelessly stare at her.</p><p>"You have to think about your future, Tecna," Palladium continued on, and Tecna snapped back to the present. "And not just <em>your</em> future, for that matter. Great evil is coming, and we need every student on campus to be able to apply herself if there's any chance of defeating Valtor." He stared at her. "Do you understand?"</p><p>What else could she say? She nodded. Palladium sighed, and took a step back.</p><p>"Meet me in the Amphitheater," he said. "Every day except Sunday, from 17:00 to 18:00, we will train. You're not losing out on your magical education just because of something that's going on" –</p><p>BANG. A sudden thunderclap startled Tecna. She fell back, staring up through the window. What she saw made her shake with alarm.</p><p>The thunderclouds she saw were no ordinary thunderclouds. In fact, they were the exact same that had formed on Andros two months ago. She stared over at Palladium, whose eyes were narrowed.</p><p>"Something's happening," he said. "Something's going on" –</p><p>Suddenly, people began to appear at the top of the dome-shaped magical barrier. They were flying down towards the school in aerial formation, sending attack spells into the shield.</p><p>WITCHES, her scanner read back at her. AGES 15-19, FEMALE WARLOCKS. POSSIBLY SPELLED.</p><p>"It's the witches of Cloud Tower!" Tecna gasped. "They've come to take us down!"</p><p>"Run!" Palladium roared, forcing the windows open. He flew out; with hesitation, Tecna followed him. She ran into the quad and gasped at the sight above.</p><p>The witches were penetrating into the barrier.</p><p>"Students!" Faragonda shouted. "Get into formation! We need to defend our school if there's any hope of sending them back."</p><p><em>But why are they here in the first place? </em>thought Tecna frantically. <em>Our schools are supposed to be working together! They have been ever since we defeated the Army of Decay –</em></p><p>"Students of Alfea!" a voice shouted in the sky. Valtor flew down through the broken barrier, smirking deviously. "I am here for your spells and treasures. Surrender them, and I'll leave you alone. Refuse, and I'll blow you all to Oblivion."</p><p>"Never!" Bloom shouted. "We're not giving you our spells!"</p><p><em>Bloom! </em>Tecna stared over, and saw Bloom in her Winx outfit. Next to her were Flora, Musa, Layla, Stella, and Mirta. Tecna felt a rush of gratitude as she ran towards them, joining the Winx Club. <em>Good thing I found them! </em>Valtor began to laugh.</p><p>"Princess of Domino," he jeered. "Want to face it off?"</p><p>"No!" Faragonda zoomed towards him, and Tecna stared at her. She was wearing her fairy outfit, a lavender-and-white robe with bejeweled purple-and-green wings. The headmistress glared at him, her eyes blazing. "You will not attack any one of my students. Your quarrel is with me, and me alone!"</p><p><em>I knew it! </em>thought Tecna. <em>Something happened between the two of them, something horrible. But what? </em>Valtor let out a derisive laugh.</p><p>"So be it," he jeered. "Witches of Cloud Tower, attack!"</p><p>The witches zoomed into the quad, firing from above. Tecna gasped as a hex hit her, and she fell to the ground.</p><p>"Magic Winx!" she yelled, transforming into her Winx outfit. She soared into the sky, hexing a witch with a digital attack. As she hit and dueled, her senses became more and more alive, and she fought more fiercely than ever before.</p><p><em>What was Palladium saying? I can fight as well as ever! Especially when my school is under attack! </em>Gritting her teeth, she hexed another witch.</p><p>The witches' eyes were completely glazed over, and their faces were blank. But they were smirking. Clearly, Valtor had taken over their bodies and forced them to attack.</p><p>Suddenly, the witch Tecna was dueling shifted her gaze. Tecna watched as she turned towards Mirta, her eyes blazing.</p><p>"Traitor!" she shouted. "Traitor! Traitor!"</p><p>The other witches began to chant as well. "Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!"</p><p><em>Oh no… </em>thought Tecna, staring. Mirta began to tremble, looking horrified.</p><p><em>How are the witches doing that? </em>thought Tecna. If they were under Valtor's spell, they should be oblivious to everything except what Valtor had done. Clearly, the spell wasn't strong enough for them to forget who Mirta was. Eris let out a laugh.</p><p>"That's what I've been saying all along," she said. "I bet you anything <em>she </em>engineered the attack!"</p><p>Tecna glared at Eris. <em>That's it, I'm </em>done <em>with that girl… </em>She lifted her hands, and sent a digital slap at Eris. The sophomore fairy squealed as she was blasted to the side.</p><p>"Seniors!" Wizkiz called to Tecna and her friends. "I want you over here!"</p><p>The Winx flew towards him, followed by Amaryl, Rose, Katy, and Priscilla. Wizkiz pointed to Layla and Stella.</p><p>"You are Enchantix fairies," he said, "so I need you to help me create a barrier. Lavigne, Oleana, and Sandra also received their Enchantixes, so go and get them, too. Only an Enchantix-level barrier will blast the witches out."</p><p>"You got it!" Layla and Stella flew off to go find their peers. Wizkiz turned to the rest of them.</p><p>"I need you eight to patrol the halls of Alfea," he said. "Some of the witches may have gone there. Since most of you are seniors, you all have a sensible command of your magic."</p><p><em>Not me, apparently</em>, thought Tecna. Wizkiz pointed to the doors.</p><p>"Tecna, Musa, Flora, and Bloom, you take the east wing. Amaryl, Rose, Katy, and Priscilla, you take the west. Understood?"</p><p>"But" – Flora hesitated, and Tecna knew why she was worried. Clearly, she didn't want to leave Mirta alone.</p><p>"GO!" Wizkiz roared, and Flora shut up.</p><p>"Don't worry, Flora," said Priscilla, and Tecna marveled at how much these girls had changed. She remembered back in freshman year, when they'd argued during the Voice of Nature exercise, and sophomore year, when Amaryl had attacked Stella because of a petty grudge. Now they had only one mission at heart – to protect their school. And they weren't about to waste time arguing.</p><p>"Let's go!" Bloom led the girls into the building and through the hall.</p><p>***</p><p>Minutes passed. The girls flew into Wizkiz's classroom, doing a thorough search to make sure everything was secured. So far, it seemed as if it was. No one could've possibly slipped through the barrier.</p><p>"Wait a second, I sense somethin'," Musa said suddenly. "A sound wave." She closed her eyes.</p><p>"What is it, Musa?" Bloom had joined her, and put a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>"Someone's trying to tell me something," Musa said. "In that direction." She pointed to the door. "Let's go!"</p><p>The girls flew down the hall, down the steps and into the central hall. Musa closed her eyes for a moment, and then gasped.</p><p>"It's a sonic signal from Princess Galatea," she said. "The Trix have captured her and are making her show them the Golden Gate!"</p><p>"They have?" asked Tecna. She could've kicked herself. <em>Why didn't we go to the Golden Gate first, instead of wasting our time here? We should've kept the most important parts of the school under guard!</em></p><p>"But why is Galatea here?" asked Flora. "Shouldn't she be fighting along with everyone else?"</p><p>"She thought she heard them sneak into the school, so she followed them," Musa said grimly. "And now she's trapped. We've got to go and save her!"</p><p>They flew down to the library, and Tecna felt her magisensors in her brain going haywire. The Golden Gate had been thrust open, and they zoomed towards it. She heard Stormy's furious snarl at Galatea.</p><p>"We warned you not to mess with us," she said, "and then you – AARGH!" A spell knocked her to the ground.</p><p>Galatea looked towards them, and there was obvious relief in her eyes. "Musa! Winx!"</p><p>"What happened to your wings?" Flora gasped. Tecna stared at her and realized that Galatea's wings were indeed missing, that they'd been cast from her Winx outfit. <em>What happened?</em></p><p>"Save your questions for later," Bloom panted. "For now, we're taking these three down!" She glared at the Trix.</p><p>"Yeah," Musa added. "You picked on me two years ago, and I'm not letting you do this to Galatea! Leave her alone!" She shot a sonic boom at Darcy, who dodged just in time.</p><p>"I'm glad you're here," Icy smirked, "because it just wouldn't be right to come to Alfea and not spend some quality time with you losers." She shot an icy attack at Flora.</p><p>But Tecna darted in front of the way and created a digi-shield, reflecting her own attack on her. "You're not taking our scrolls!"</p><p>Stormy snarled. Creating a twister out of air particles, the books on the floor rose up into the funnel, turning and turning in the air. The girls gasped.</p><p>Flora zoomed up into the air and transformed into her Charmix. "Pollen dust!" she yelled, blowing it into the air. It enveloped the funnel, and in seconds, it vanished.</p><p>"Ice storm!" yelled Icy and Stormy, converging their powers together. Bloom darted in front of the way, creating a fire-shield that contained their magic. The Trix gasped in shock and outrage.</p><p>"Let's go!" Tecna whispered to Flora. Flora closed her eyes, and ivy vines appeared on the bookshelves. Icy and Darcy backed away in alarm.</p><p>Tecna lifted her hands in the air. "Winx Charmix!" she yelled, glaring at them. Using all the energy she had within her, she blasted an attack from her Charmix, slamming it straight into Icy and Darcy. They yelled in alarm as they hit the wall, vines grabbing them in the middle.</p><p>The Winx knelt on the floor, glaring at them. Icy and Darcy glared back. Then Stormy let out a laugh, one that made the hairs on Tecna's nonmetal arm stand.</p><p>"All right then." She created a deadly lightning-bolt, clearly a spell from Valtor’s collection. "If we can't have your precious spellbooks, then neither will you!" She shot one into the bookshelf.</p><p>"No!" Bloom yelled, but her words were in vain. Fire enveloped the books, and the Trix laughed. Icy and Darcy broke free of the vines and joined their sister on the ground.</p><p>"Later, losers," Icy said. With a snap of her fingers, they vanished.</p><p>WARNING: FIRE AHEAD, Tecna's feed read back at her. HIGHLY VOLATILE.</p><p><em>I have to get a reading on this</em>, thought Tecna. Closing her eyes, she focused her scanner on the fire.</p><p>"I'll try to smother the flames," Flora said desperately, sending pollen into the fire. But nothing happened. If anything, it gave the flames even more ammunition.</p><p>"How about a fire-on-fire attack?" Bloom sent a spark of her dragon into the fire, but that did nothing to stop it, either. The fire emitted venomous sparks at her, and she gasped, dodging to the side.</p><p>The results of the scan came back. Tecna scrolled through it as quickly as she could, gasping in alarm at what it said.</p><p>MAGICALLY-INDUCED FIRE, the reading responded. CAN ONLY BE PUT OUT WITH FAIRY-DUST.</p><p>"There's nothing we can do!" Tecna called to her friends. "We have to get one of the Enchantix fairies here to fix it!"</p><p>"But by then there'll be no library left!" Bloom stared at her.</p><p>"I know," Tecna answered, "but there's no other way. Let's run and tell Griselda!"</p><p>The four girls flew out of the Golden Gate, choking and gasping. Suddenly Musa halted and stared in alarm.</p><p>"Where's Galatea?" she gasped.</p><p>"She" – Tecna stared blindly around. <em>Where was she? What happened to her?</em></p><p>From inside the gate she heard a girl's coughing. Musa gasped in shock and outrage.</p><p>"She's trapped in the fire!" she yelled. "I have to go save her!" She flew into the flames.</p><p>"Musa!" Bloom yelled, but Musa was deaf to her cry. Tecna watched in horror as she darted into the fire, and they could see her no more.</p><p>"Don't do it, Musa!" Flora asked desperately. "It's too dangerous! Come back!"</p><p>Then a ray of purple light shot through the air. Galatea was blasted through the fire, and landed at their feet. She stared up at them, her eyes wide.</p><p>"Musa?" Tecna stared at the fire. Musa had used her power to save Galatea, but she was still stuck in the flames. "Musa!"</p><p>Suddenly, a blinding white light filled the air, and everyone closed their eyes. When it had passed, Tecna looked over and gasped.</p><p>The fire had completely disappeared. The only thing remaining to show there was a fire at all was a few charred books. And in front of them stood Musa, smiling and carrying a pouch of fairy-dust.</p><p>"Musa!" gasped Bloom. "You got your Enchantix!"</p><p>"I sure did," grinned Musa, and Tecna stared at her. She was wearing a red top and skirt with yellow lace, and yellow barefoot sandals on her feet. A red barrette was in her hair and a yellow band was around her neck. She had yellow wings behind her back, with red and purple jewels hanging from above. She held her fairy-dust upwards and flew towards Galatea.</p><p>"I'll get your wings back," she said, and turned it downwards. Galatea let out a gasp of relief as her wings emerged again.</p><p>"Thank you!" she gasped, grabbing Musa in a hug.</p><p>The girls flew out to the quad, where they saw the fighting had ended. The girls had expelled the witches from campus and a new protective barrier had formed thanks to Palladium and the Enchantix fairies. Griselda came up to them.</p><p>"Thank heavens you're all right," she said. "You girls did remarkably well." A rare smile appeared on her face as she observed Musa. "And it appears that you received your Enchantix."</p><p>"Is everyone okay?" Flora asked.</p><p>"Everyone," Griselda said, "except"…</p><p>"Ms. Faragonda," the five girls said in unison. It was obvious something had happened to her; there was no other reason why Griselda would be so upset. The deputy headmistress swallowed and looked at them.</p><p>"Correct," she said. "She's disappeared; no one knows what's happened to her."</p><p>"Then we know what our next mission is," said Bloom, clenching her fists. "We're going to find Ms. Faragonda and bring her back home."</p><p>But Tecna didn't know whether they had a chance of getting Faragonda back home. Faragonda was powerful, but so was Valtor, and his strength far surpassed anyone else's. <em>What are we going to do? </em>She swallowed hard.</p><p>
  <em>And how are we going to find Ms. Faragonda?</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter:<br/>	Flora, Layla, and Musa search for Faragonda.<br/>	Mirta continues to look for Lucy.<br/>	The girls will have to enter Cloud Tower in order to find out what happened.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Search for Faragonda</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Griselda summoned Flora, Layla, and Musa to her office.</p><p>"I want you three to go and search for Ms. Faragonda," she said. "You three are at the top of the senior class; you can afford to miss a few days of instruction. She was last seen in Gloomy Woods Forest, though I'm not sure she'll turn up there. Search everywhere you can: Roccaluce Forest, Magix City, anywhere you think she'll show up. We will not last long without our headmistress."</p><p>Flora nodded, determination in her eyes. <em>We won't let Valtor take our headmistress from us…</em></p><p>"My objective is to keep the school running as smoothly as possible," Griselda said. "I'm not sending anyone else because I want classes to still continue. Ms. Faragonda wouldn't want your schooling to end just because she disappeared. Now, go on."</p><p>"Ms. Griselda?" Layla asked. "What do you think happened to her?"</p><p>Griselda let out a sigh.</p><p>"If she won, she would be back here with us," she said. "She wouldn't have left us."</p><p>"But then she could be" – Musa couldn't finish her sentence.</p><p>"That's what I need you girls to find out," Griselda said grimly. "Now go on. Alfea is counting on you!"</p><p>***</p><p>But two weeks later, they were still searching for Ms. Faragonda. Even with the help of all the pixies, they still couldn't find where she'd gone. The negative energy from Valtor's evil spells didn't help; it cloaked Gloomy Woods Forest in full. And with their lack of progress, Griselda was getting very anxious, fearful for Faragonda's survival.</p><p>Mirta had offered to help Flora find Faragonda, but Flora refused, telling her girlfriend that she was not up for it.</p><p>"Please stay and make sure you feel better," she said gently. "The energy you spent in the battle was too much. The other witches were ready to attack you."</p><p>"What are you saying?" Mirta glared at Flora. "That I can't handle myself?"</p><p>"No!" Flora held her hands in the air. "That's not what I said at all!"</p><p>"Don't you know how hard this is for me?" Mirta snarled. "Being ostracized by fairies and witches both? You have no idea how it felt when the witches and Eris ganged up against me! And now you're trying to stop me from proving myself!"</p><p>Flora winced, remembering how the witches had called Mirta out while attacking Alfea. <em>I'm sorry… </em>She put her arm around Mirta's shoulder.</p><p>"You'll get the chance to prove yourself, Mirta," she answered desperately. "I just don't want you to get hurt."</p><p>Mirta shoved Flora's arm away, storming off. "Forget I said anything."</p><p>And now Flora sighed as she followed her friends towards the woods. She knew something had changed in Mirta, something too painful and powerful. <em>She's given up hope… </em>She'd tried to talk to Mirta about it, but the former witch had refused, and they'd remained in a stalemate all week.</p><p>“You know, I’m worried,” Musa said, pulling Flora out of her thoughts. Flora gazed at her friend, gently tapping her on the shoulder.</p><p>“It’s okay, Musa,” she said. “We’ll find Ms. Faragonda – I’m sure of it. She can’t have left us.”</p><p>“It’s not even just that,” Musa whispered. “Everything’s going downhill. Five of the strongest realms in the UR have been attacked. Melody still hasn’t recovered from the disaster – apparently, they still haven’t been able to close the Omega Portal, and hundreds of convicts break into Melody every day. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to go home when the semester ends. The situation’s really bad.”</p><p>“Why can’t they close the portal?” Layla asked.</p><p>“That’s what everyone wants to know,” Musa answered grimly. “To be honest, a lot of people didn’t even know we <em>had</em> a portal, so it was kinda a shock when criminals started raiding their backyards. They’re affecting the rural areas really badly – even with the Melodian Army stationed there, it’s just not helping. The Melodian borders are completely shut, because they don’t want any criminals to escape into any other realms. Now everyone’s furious and petitioning, rioting, everything, but the government has refused to release any information about the portals.”</p><p>“How can they hide so much?” Flora gasped.</p><p>Musa shrugged. “Well, the common people know nothing about the portal. I heard that, upon its foundation, the monarchy made the sages sign a non-disclosure agreement. So there’s that.”</p><p>"Guys, Lockette can’t sense Ms. Faragonda," Chatta urged, flying up to them. "You have to help us."</p><p>"I can't track Ms. Faragonda," gasped Lockette. "This energy… it's hurting too much. I just can't."</p><p>Flora gazed down at her pixie and Lockette. She knew that Chatta, friendly and encouraging though she was, had a tendency to be too impatient. <em>Poor Lockette… </em>She patted the pixie on the head.</p><p>"Don't worry, Lockette," she said. "I'm going to try to connect with the trees."</p><p>“You already tried that,” Layla protested, “and it didn’t work. Do you expect it to work this time?”</p><p>“We’re in a different location,” Flora answered, “and it’s worth a shot. We don’t have any other ideas.”</p><p>She transformed. Using her Charmix, she flew into the air, closing her eyes. She connected with the wildlife around her.</p><p>All week, she'd been trying, but to no avail. The negative energy had clouded the forest completely, giving her no recourse. <em>But hopefully it's faded enough for me to focus… </em>She called out.</p><p><em>Trees</em>, she prayed silently. <em>Please show me what happened to Ms. Faragonda. We need to know. </em>The wind whipped itself around her as she connected with the woods, their voices appearing in her head.</p><p>A vision appeared in front of her. She gasped as she saw the elderly headmistress taking on the younger Valtor, who'd attacked her as if she was nothing but an annoying pest. She had fought valiantly, but had been no match for him.</p><p><em>What happened? </em>she thought in alarm. <em>She… she…</em></p><p><em>She's alive</em>, the trees told her. <em>We don't know where she went or what Valtor did with her. But we do know she is alive. Had her spirit departed, we would feel it. When the battle raged on, we had to look away, for fear of what Valtor would do. All we know is that they went to the west.</em></p><p>Flora opened her eyes. Tears of relief poured down her cheeks as she spoke to her friends.</p><p>"It finally worked," she said. "Ms. Faragonda's alive. But the trees were so scared of the battle, they had to look away."</p><p>"The <em>trees </em>were scared?" Musa gasped. "That's intense."</p><p>"She went that way." Flora pointed to the west, and Layla and Musa gasped.</p><p>"<em>That</em> way is Cloud Tower," Layla said.</p><p>"Valtor." Musa clenched her fists. "He must've beaten her and taken her prisoner!"</p><p>"That's what we have to check," Flora answered. "We have no choice. We have to infiltrate Cloud Tower."</p><p>"So what do you want us to do?" Chatta asked, firing up.</p><p>"Stay here and search more," Layla told them. "We have to go."</p><p>The girls flew to the west, towards the darkening, stormy sky. They were going to save their headmistress, or die trying. Without her, all hope for the Magical Dimension would be lost.</p><p>***</p><p>Flora landed on the steps of Cloud Tower, staring. She gazed in front of her, right in front of the door.</p><p>Someone was cowering on the steps. The three girls frowned at each other, attack spells at the ready. They marched forward, determined to figure out what was going on. The girl on the steps snapped her eyes up, and Flora gasped at who it was.</p><p>It was Mirta.</p><p>"Don't diss us like that!" Musa said indignantly.</p><p>"Mirta!" Flora ran up to Mirta, grabbing her hands. <em>And to think we were about to attack her! </em>Mirta instantly snatched her hands away, and Flora stared at her, confused and hurt.</p><p>"What are you doing here, sweetie?" she asked.</p><p>"I was worried about Lucy," Mirta confessed. "I don't know what possessed her to attack us, Flora. She – she's my friend. I have to go and save her!"</p><p>"We'll do the saving," Flora said. "Mirta, you only just transformed to a fairy. It's too dangerous for you."</p><p>"I don't care!" Mirta cried. "Lucy is my friend, Flora. If you cared, you'd let me come!"</p><p>Flora stepped backwards, stung. Behind her, Musa and Layla were raising their eyebrows at each other. There was a silence.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Flora whispered. "I shouldn't have – yes, come with us. We'll be happy to have you."</p><p>Mirta said nothing, but followed them. They entered the castle, and gazed around uneasily.</p><p>"Something's not right," Layla said. "How is it this easy for us to enter the castle? Shouldn't there be a protection spell or something around campus? I mean, is this really a good idea?"</p><p>"Well, it doesn't seem as if we've got a choice," Musa said dryly. "We'll just have to keep our ears and eyes open."</p><p>"I'll lead you guys to the dorms," said Mirta, flying in front.</p><p>Flora followed her, a bad feeling settling in her gut. Layla was right; there was something sinister going on. She stared in alarm as Mirta opened the dorm room.</p><p>Girls were lying motionless in their beds. They seemed to be barely breathing, stiller than wood. But it was their eyes that scared Flora the most. They were wide open, inhabited by a white, ghostly light. No iris or pupil could be seen.</p><p>Layla flew over and gently tapped one on the shoulder.</p><p>"They're in a state of suspended animation," she said. "It seems that Valtor wants to regenerate their powers."</p><p>"Is he going to use them to attack us again?" Flora asked. Musa gritted her teeth.</p><p>"Well, I say we just unleash our Enchantix and fairy-dust them!"</p><p>"We can't!" Layla protested. "If we do that, Valtor will know we're here!"</p><p>"And we need to find Lucy," Mirta added. She shot Flora a pointed glance. "I'm not letting anything get in my way of finding her."</p><p>Flora frowned, staring down. Why was Mirta being so confrontational? She knew that it was mainly her stress talking, but even then, she'd never been like this before. <em>I don't understand what's going on. </em>Letting out a sigh, she followed Mirta out of the dorm room.</p><p>And gasped as soon as she saw what was ahead of her.</p><p>There were two monsters, approaching from either end of the hall. They were menacing, their eyes dangerous and terrible.</p><p>"We're trapped!" Musa yelled.</p><p>"Everyone, stay calm," Flora said frantically. She heard Mirta tense up next to her, and grabbed her hand.</p><p>But Mirta pulled it away. There was a fierce edge to her eyes, one that shocked Flora. Mirta held an attack-spell and aimed it at one of the monsters. "Witch hoax!" she yelled.</p><p>But that did absolutely nothing. If anything, it incensed the monster even more. It charged at the girls, howling.</p><p>"RUN!" Musa yelled. The four ran back into the dorm. The monster bounded at them, letting out growls of anger.</p><p>"We can't go back in here!" Mirta yelled. "The monster will attack the witches!"</p><p>"Then we'll just have to fight it!" Layla picked up a Morphix sphere in her hands and threw it at the monsters. It created a lasso, binding them together.</p><p>But the monsters easily broke through the lasso. Flora collected her energy and sent it into the doorway.</p><p>"Pollen shield!" The green shield formed around the entrance, preventing the monsters from forcing their way in. Flora grimaced at the energy it took to keep the shield up. Layla and Musa flew through it to combat the monsters.</p><p>"We'll take care of it," they said in unison, slamming their energy into the monsters. This was more effective than when Mirta did it, but not for long. A monster leapt at Layla, and she only narrowly dodged.</p><p>Flora gasped in horror as she saw what was on the monster's head.</p><p>It was a mark, the same one they'd seen on Sky's neck and in the sky at Alfea. The mark could only belong to one person: the person who'd defeated Faragonda.</p><p>"Valtor's mark!" Flora yelled. "Layla, Musa, those monsters are being controlled!"</p><p>Layla stared down in horror and saw that she was right. The monster took advantage of her stillness and grabbed her by the ankle.</p><p>"No!" Mirta yelled, and she broke through the shield. Flora watched in horror as her girlfriend sent an attack spell into the monster, setting Layla free. Layla was able to escape and flew up to safety, just as the monster grabbed Mirta.</p><p>"Mirta!" Flora cried. "I'm coming!"</p><p>"I can take care of myself!" Mirta snarled back at her. She let out a scream as the monster grabbed her, shaking her around.</p><p>"Flora, you keep guarding the witches," Layla shouted back at her. "Don't worry. Musa and I have a plan." They linked hands and summoned their fairy-dust from their necks, shouting, "Enchantix Convergence!"</p><p>Purple and pink dust from Musa and Layla's pouches, respectively, sparkled through the air. Mirta stopped struggling as the monster stopped moving, staring up at the sparks. There was a blinding flash which made Flora avert her eyes, as much as she didn't want to. When it was over, she stared in surprise.</p><p>The two monsters had turned into two teachers: Edlitrude and Zarathustra. Zarathustra, who'd been holding Mirta, immediately dropped her and stared in surprise.</p><p>"Mirta?" she gasped.</p><p>"Professor Zarathustra!" gasped Mirta. "We – what happened?"</p><p>"Valtor put spells on all of us," Edlitrude said grimly. "I cannot believe he was able to turn us into monsters." She sounded disgusted, and then, she sighed. "You girls should not have come."</p><p>"We needed to come!" gasped Musa. "We need to find out what happened to Ms. Faragonda!"</p><p>"Ms. Faragonda's missing?" gasped Zarathustra.</p><p>"She lost this major battle with Valtor," answered Layla. "And now we don't know what happened to her."</p><p>"Then what are you doing here?" demanded Edlitrude. "You won't find anything here! We'll take care of our students!" They flew in the opposite direction, away from the girls.</p><p>"We're <em>not </em>leaving here until we find Lucy," Mirta declared. "I don't care what they say!"</p><p>"Then let's go!" Layla flew forward.</p><p>The girls flew into another dorm, gasping. Suddenly, Mirta cried out as she saw what was ahead of her. "Oh no!"</p><p>Lucy was lying motionless on a bed, her eyes as void as the rest of the girls they'd seen. Unlike the others, however, she wasn't even breathing; Flora stared at her in horror. Mirta ran up to her, crying up as she shook her friend's shoulders.</p><p>"Lucy!" she cried out. "What did he do to you? Lucy, wake up!"</p><p>Suddenly, a menacing laugh trilled through the corridor. Flora looked up in horror as she saw the Trix streaming through the corridor, laughing. Mirta turned around, her eyes blazing.</p><p>"You three!" she yelled. "You hurt my friend!" She slammed an attack at Icy.</p><p>But Icy dodged it, laughing. Then she slammed Mirta back. Mirta screamed as she was hit into the ground, and fell, groaning.</p><p>"You fell for our trap," Darcy laughed. "And now, here you shall stay, forever locked with your friend. This is where it ends!"</p><p>"No!" Flora yelled, but it was too late. An ice-wall had appeared in the doorway, added with electric volts and shadowy plaque. The Trix dissolved into laughter and vanished, their cackle still echoing through the walls.</p><p>Layla stared at the ice-wall in distress. "We're trapped."</p><p>Suddenly, Mirta began to sob. She grabbed Flora by the waist, hugging her tightly. Flora held her as well, stroking her hair.</p><p>"I'm… sorry"… Mirta wept. "I didn't want to admit I was scared, but – I'm so scared, Flora! These last few weeks have just been… nightmarish… everyone angry with me, witches taunting me, like how they did <em>here</em>… And I feel so powerless that I can't do anything to save Lucy, and now we're stuck here… what are we going to" –</p><p>"It's okay to be scared," Flora whispered, quietly so that only she and Mirta could hear. "Admitting your fears is the first step to conquering them. Now that you've admitted it, everything will be okay."</p><p>Though she didn't know how okay things would be. They might be able to break through the barrier, but they had no idea whether Lucy would heal or not. And they still didn't know how to find Ms. Faragonda.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The Keepers' Vault</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Tecna, we need to talk."</p><p>Tecna opened her eyes and stared vacantly from her bed. Bloom was staring at her, a worried expression on her face. Stella stood behind her, her arms crossed.</p><p>"What?" Tecna asked weakly, sitting up. Her head was spinning and her eyes were halfway shut. <em>What do they want? </em>Bloom sat down on her bed and sighed.</p><p>"We know something's up," she said. "You just haven't been yourself lately. At all. You've been leaving your food untouched, and been staying up till odd hours of the night. So tell us what's wrong."</p><p>"Nothing," Tecna insisted. "Nothing is wrong."</p><p>"Don't give us that line," Stella snorted. "Your hair's limp, your smile's thin, and your eyes are so dull. Hell-o! You're in need of a complete makeover, girl. And you don't even complain to me about how messy my room is! You <em>never </em>fail to complain about my lack of efficiency!"</p><p>"We care about you, Tecna," Bloom added, stepping in front of Stella. "We have to know."</p><p>Tecna's head was swarming. <em>Why did they have to pick now of all times to talk? </em>She was so exhausted – she'd only just finished her weekly assignment of two-thousand sets, and she was beyond exhausted. She was relieved Digit had gone out with the other pixies to look for Faragonda; otherwise, she'd never had heard the end of it. But it looked like she hadn't escaped at all.</p><p>"Tecna?" Bloom asked softly. "We're waiting. I'll have you know that Digit told us she's been doing all your homework for you."</p><p>"She did <em>what</em>?" Tecna asked, outraged. <em>She promised she wouldn't tell! Wait until she comes back home… </em>She clenched her fists.</p><p>"Don't blame her," Stella said instantly. "That's something <em>I'd </em>do, not <em>you</em>! Seriously, what's going on?"</p><p>Tecna fell back down on her bed and stared limply at Bloom and Stella.</p><p>"I'm tired," she said shortly. "We can talk about this in the morning."</p><p>"Hell no!" Stella exploded. "We're talking about this, and we're talking about this <em>now</em>! We're not leaving here until we find out what's going on!"</p><p>"Shut up, Stella," Tecna fired back. "You may be a princess, but that doesn't mean you can expect me to answer to all of your" –</p><p>A shrill ring drowned out her voice. Startled, Tecna looked towards her phone, whose screen was flashing red. <em>EMERGENCY DISTRESS CALL.</em></p><p><em>What? </em>thought Tecna, staring. Whoever could be calling them? In confusion, she picked it up.</p><p>"Tecna," the voice on the other side called. "We need your help!"</p><p>"Flora?" breathed Tecna in confusion. "What's happening?"</p><p>"We're trapped in Cloud Tower," Flora cried. "The Trix ambushed us and locked us in this room, and we can't open it from the inside. We need you guys to help us out!"</p><p>"What?" gasped Stella in shock.</p><p>"Where are you?" Bloom demanded.</p><p>"In the north wing of the school." That was Musa's voice. "You've gotta hurry, Tec. We don't know what's going on!"</p><p>"Don't worry," Tecna said firmly. "We're coming." She switched the call off and glared at the other two girls. "Coming?"</p><p>Bloom and Stella looked at each other nervously. They nodded.</p><p>"All right," Bloom answered. "But we're continuing this conversation as soon as we get back. Don't think we've forgotten."</p><p>***</p><p>Tecna zoomed towards Cloud Tower, her triangular wings giving her maximum speed capacity as she barreled towards the castle. Stella was in the lead, and Bloom was behind her. They flew towards the entrance, landing at the steps of the castle.</p><p>"Let's go," Bloom said, pushing the door open. They walked into the hall.</p><p>As they walked, Tecna wished they'd had time to make a plan. After all, planning was her specialty. There had to be some smarter way of doing this than walking through Cloud Tower's front door.</p><p>But Bloom and Stella didn't seem to trust her very much now. In fact, none of the Winx did – except for Flora. The rest of them all were intent on getting into Tecna's business and nagging her all day long.</p><p><em>I hate how they do this</em>, thought Tecna, clenching her fists. <em>They don't even know the circumstances, yet they try to act. If they don't know what's going on, they should just stay out of it. I don't poke into their lives! </em>She gritted her teeth. <em>I don't –</em></p><p>An electric bolt hit her in the back, and she screamed, falling. ELECTRIC HEX, flashed across her screen. Bloom and Stella ran up to her.</p><p>"Are you okay?" Stella gasped.</p><p>"Fascinating," a voice behind her said. "I can feel the negativity in this room."</p><p>Grimacing, Tecna forced herself off the ground. <em>I feel so weak… </em>She gasped as she saw Valtor materialize in front of them, his eyes gleaming.</p><p>"The only negative energy here comes from <em>you</em>!" Bloom fired an attack spell at him.</p><p>But he simply caught it in his hands. Lifting his arms, he sent two more waves of electricity at them, cold and blue. Bloom and Stella screamed as they were also attacked.</p><p>"That," laughed Valtor, "is an anti-convergence spell. You won't be able to converge your powers anymore."</p><p>"We'll see about that!" snarled Stella. She and Bloom linked hands and focused their energy.</p><p>As soon as they focused their energy, they were hurled apart. They yelled in shock, and Valtor roared with laughter. When it was over, his grin was wide and menacing.</p><p>"Your negativity made the job so much easier, really," he said. "If you three weren't arguing with each other, it would be much harder for me to cast that spell. But since you're angry and frustrated, you're simply slim pickings."</p><p><em>Don't talk like that… </em>But Tecna was growing weaker and weaker, and she could only stare up. Bloom flew in front of him, snarling, "What'd you do with Ms. Faragonda?"</p><p>"That old woman?" Valtor snorted. "I wouldn't worry about her. I'd worry about you." He blasted a hole through the ground. "Follow me!"</p><p>Tecna, Bloom, and Stella screamed as they were pulled through the crack in the floor. Valtor let out a laugh. They fell to the ground, beaten and wincing.</p><p>"Now it's time to finish you off," Valtor smiled. Monsters began to creep in through the walls, moving into the center of the room.</p><p>Tecna watched with horror as the monsters surrounded them on all sides.</p><p>"Goodbye," Valtor laughed as he flew away, and Tecna winced as she got up.</p><p>Bloom sat up and hit a monster with an attack. It only laughed and moved forward. Cackling, the other monsters closed in, baring their teeth.</p><p>"Eww!" Stella screamed. "We've gotta stop them!" She shot another attack at a monster.</p><p>But the impact of the spell made her fall. As soon as she fell, Bloom rushed to help her up. She gasped as Stella's body electrocuted her, and she was blasted back.</p><p>"What just happened?" Stella asked in confusion. "Did I – <em>shock</em> you?"</p><p>"Was that Valtor's spell?" asked Tecna dazedly. She could barely understand what was going on at this point.</p><p>"So he didn't take our ability to converge – only to touch each other," Bloom realized.</p><p>"Okay, then whaddya say we slam these monsters down?" Stella asked, firing up. "We can do convergence without holding hands. It won't be as effective, but we'll do it!" She focused her energy hard.</p><p>"Solar beam!"</p><p>"Dragon fury!"</p><p>"Digital blast!" Tecna called, summoning her powers. <em>Please, please work… </em>Yellow light, red flames, and orange electricity joined together and rippled outwards at the monsters.</p><p>The monsters screamed as they were hit by the waves. And then they fell, stunned. Stella put her thumb up.</p><p>"Way to go!" she cheered.</p><p>"Okay, let's get out of here!" Bloom yelled. They zoomed down the corridor and into the hall.</p><p>Adrenaline coursed through Tecna again, and she followed her friends, her eyes determined. <em>We're not letting them take us down…</em></p><p>***</p><p>They reached a hall. It was made of stone, the heart of Cloud Tower. Tecna stared at what was ahead of her, her eyes wide.</p><p>"Ms. Griffin?" she breathed.</p><p>The old professor was behind bars, grimacing. The lock on her door was electric, and she looked downcast. As soon as she saw the three girls, her eyes jolted up in surprise.</p><p>"Don't worry." Bloom landed in front of her cage. "We'll get you out of there!"</p><p>"It's too dangerous," Griffin answered, brushing her head. "There's a bounce-back spell on the lock."</p><p>"We can't just leave you," Stella pointed out. "Besides, you could help us look for Ms. Faragonda."</p><p>"What happened to her?" Griffin was immediately on her feet.</p><p>"She lost this major battle with Valtor," Bloom answered. "No one knows what happened to her. We're looking for her!"</p><p>Griffin sat back down, heavily. After a moment, she sighed. "I cannot help you. I will not be able to leave."</p><p>"We'll get you out!" Bloom insisted.</p><p>"Don't waste your time," Griffin said darkly. "Just look for Ms. Faragonda." She let out a sigh. "I am the first headmistress to fall. If Faragonda falls, it will be the end of us. She is our only hope!"</p><p>"All right," Bloom sighed. "How do we find her?"</p><p>"Find the Keepers of Cloud Tower," Griffin answered. "They've undoubtedly been put under Valtor's spell, so figure out how to break that first. They're very keen observers, and they know everything that's happened in this area. They should tell you where Ms. Faragonda's" –</p><p>A roar behind them told Tecna the monsters had woken up.</p><p>"Run!" shouted Stella, leaping into the air. They zoomed down the corridor, the monsters behind them. They let out a roar and tramped after them, hissing.</p><p>"Where are we going?" Tecna gasped, fighting for breath as she followed her friends.</p><p>"I – don't – know!" Stella gasped. "We need to get outta here!"</p><p>"Look!" said Bloom, pointing ahead. An ice-wall was where a door had once been, and Tecna stared at it in confusion. <em>Why do I feel that's not original? </em>Bloom halted and turned around in horror.</p><p>"We're trapped," she gasped.</p><p>"Not if we can break the ice wall," Tecna answered. "That's our only way out."</p><p>"But the monsters!" cried Stella, pointing at the creatures, who were bounding at them at an alarming rate.</p><p>"Listen," Tecna said grimly, "I'll break it down, you face the monsters. Understood?"</p><p>Bloom and Stella nodded. "Winx Charmix!" yelled Bloom. The two girls converged their powers, focusing on the monsters ahead of them.</p><p>Tecna frowned, transforming into her own Charmix. She scanned the ice-wall quickly, with the results coming back to her: MAGICALLY INDUCED ICE-WALL, ENFORCED BY WIND- AND DARK-ENERGY.</p><p><em>Just as I suspected</em>, Tecna thought grimly. <em>The Trix have been here! Now how do I break it?</em></p><p>She searched online. Almost instantly, the answer came back to her: CAN ONLY BE BROKEN BY STRONG ATTACK SPELLS.</p><p><em>Let's hope I get it right. </em>Using all the power in her Charmix, she focused her energy on the wall. "Digital breakdown!" she yelled, and an electric, light-blue ray shot from her Charmix. The ice wall began to slowly crack, breaking down.</p><p>"Someone's there!" a voice shouted from behind the wall.</p><p>Tecna continued attacking, focusing all the energy she could muster. <em>Come on, come on… </em>She sent her strongest wave of attack into the ice.</p><p>The barrier broke to pieces.</p><p>"Tecna!" a voice shouted. Someone grabbed her tightly, hugging her. "You came! I'm so glad you came!"</p><p>"Flora," gasped Tecna. Flora's hug was making it difficult to breathe, and she drew back. Behind her were Mirta, Musa, Layla and… Lucy. "Why're you here?" she asked, staring at the witch-girl.</p><p>"I don't know," Lucy grimaced, scratching her hair. "Musa says she poured some of her fairy-dust over me, but I don't know what that means." She looked around the room and gasped. "What happened" –</p><p>"Valtor took over Cloud Tower," Mirta said, "and put you all under a spell. But you're safe now." She took her hand. "Come on, we'll take you to Alfea."</p><p>"I can't just leave," Lucy protested. "I need to be here with my fellow classmates. I need to stay and help them through this nightmare!"</p><p>"If you want to stay, stay, but we have to leave," Tecna said. "We shouldn't be here."</p><p>"But we haven't found Ms. Faragonda!" gasped Musa. "We can't just leave her! We have to keep searching!"</p><p>"Of course!" Tecna felt a surge of irritation rise within her. "Just not right <em>here</em>! Can you at least let me download a map of this place?" She pulled her tablet out.</p><p>She could feel the intensity of Flora, Mirta, Musa, Layla, and Lucy's confused stares at her irritability. Bloom and Stella were glaring at her. Ignoring them as best as she could, she found the map, finding their coordinates.</p><p>"We're pretty close to the Keepers' Vault, actually," she said. "In fact, we just need to go down that corridor and find them."</p><p>"The Keepers?" Layla asked.</p><p>"Griffin told us we need to find them, and they'll tell us where Faragonda is," Bloom answered. "Lead the way, Tecna." She spoke the last sentence warily, as if she somehow didn't trust her.</p><p>Gritting her teeth, Tecna led the way down the corridor and the other girls followed. They reached a spiral staircase, which they promptly flew down. A dusty, black vault awaited them, and Tecna couldn't see a thing. She frowned, focusing her scanner again.</p><p>DARKNESS HIGH, the scanner read back at her. OTHER PRESENCE DETECTED AHEAD. SPECIES: WHISPERIAN NORTHERN GRIFFIN. LIKELY SPELLED –</p><p>A screech appeared ahead of them. Something jumped out of the darkness, and Tecna gasped as it pounced suddenly on Bloom. A second one pounced on Mirta.</p><p>"Stop!" Flora shouted desperately.</p><p>"Now!" Layla, Stella, and Musa said together. They lifted their fairy-dust, circling around the two griffins.</p><p>The animals halted as the three of them converged their fairy-dust, working together to break the spell. A brilliant white light filled the air. Then the light receded, and Tecna stared at the creatures.</p><p>In the dim light, she could make out their features had softened. They looked more like griffins, and were clearly friendlier. The first one nodded to the three fairies.</p><p>"Thank you," he said. "You have freed us from this evil spell, and we are therefore under your debt. Ask us anything you wish."</p><p>Bloom stepped forward.</p><p>"Our headmistress, Ms. Faragonda, has disappeared," she said. "She was in a battle against Valtor, and then suddenly vanished. No one knows where she is or what happened to her. Could you please tell us: where did she go?"</p><p>The second griffin nodded. "Valtor and your headmistress had a long, arduous battle. She fought valiantly, but in the end, he was too young and strong for her. Not only did he capture her, but he also imprisoned her, in the base of an oak tree."</p><p>"She's stuck in a <em>tree</em>?" Stella gasped.</p><p>"Yes," the first griffin answered. "We can give you her coordinates."</p><p>Tecna typed the coordinates he gave in her tablet. It immediately popped up.</p><p>"Alright," she said. "I'll message Digit instantly and tell her to meet us there."</p><p>"Is there anything we can do to free Cloud Tower?" Lucy asked desperately.</p><p>"With your headmistress trapped in the heart of the tower, it is nearly impossible," the griffin said sadly. "All you can do is wait for the UR to help."</p><p>"We'd better go and find her quickly," Bloom said. "Thank you, griffins."</p><p>The seven girls sped out of the vault and out of Cloud Tower. Tecna followed in the rear, her mind a daze. <em>What happened to Ms. Faragonda…</em></p><p>***</p><p>"I can't believe it," gasped Musa, tears in her eyes.</p><p>Tecna stared ahead of her. A baby, gnarled oak tree was in front of them, its roots twisted and grotesque. But that wasn't the most horrifying part. She stared at the trunk of the tree, completely shocked.</p><p>Etched into the trunk was Faragonda's face. She had a horrified look on her face, one of imminent doom. Seeing her, Tecna backed away, closing her eyes in shock.</p><p>She was glad Mirta and Lucy weren't here to see this. Mirta had gone back to Alfea with the Pixies, to tell Griselda what they'd found. Lucy had gone to the Magix Municipal Hall to give the police a statement; she would be helping the Magix authorities in their bid to free Cloud Tower. She'd thanked Mirta for coming for her, and the two had tearfully embraced.</p><p>"Hold on." Flora walked up to the tree and placed her palms on its bark. A green aura formed around her, and she focused all of her energy into the tree. Stepping back, she turned to face the other girls.</p><p>"So, what's inside?" Bloom asked anxiously.</p><p>Flora nodded. "It <em>is </em>her."</p><p>"Our fairy-dust should have her out in no time," Stella declared.</p><p>"It's not quite so simple, Stella." Flora frowned. "The oak tree has grown <em>around </em>Ms. Faragonda's life essence. She <em>is </em>the tree."</p><p>"So… we can't hurt it without hurting her?" Layla asked.</p><p>Tecna's mind was spinning. <em>This is absolutely bizarre… </em>She'd never heard of anything like this. <em>And completely illogical.</em></p><p>She tried to scan the tree. Nothing came up. And then she tried looking up a spell, <em>any </em>spell, that could've caused this. "There's no information like this on the Web!"</p><p>"Well, we've gotta do something!" Bloom declared, striding up to the tree. "We can't let Ms. F stay like this! Especially after everything she's done for us!"</p><p>Musa walked up to the tree, her voice barely an echo.</p><p>"Ms. Faragonda," she said, "I don't know if you can hear me, but don't worry. We're gonna save you."</p><p><em>I don't know how</em>, thought Tecna. <em>Especially when there's nothing in our database about this. </em>She stared up at the tree.</p><p>As she stared, she wondered if Faragonda could see her right now from her prison. A severely ill girl, merely a shell of her former self.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next pair of chapters:<br/>	Flora, Stella, and Musa head to Linphea.<br/>	Miele makes her debut as a warrior-fairy.<br/>	Layla receives devastating news from her family.<br/>	Tecna takes her semester finals.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Flora's Trial</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Previously on AUP…</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"I'd sooner trust a Venus fly-trap than the UR. They might as well make a united government and sell all our civil liberties.” She shook her head. "I don’t know what they teach in that school over there."</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"We learn so many things at Alfea," Flora protested. "We learn how to defend ourselves, form great friendships, save the world" –</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Ha!" Bisabuela snorted. "All warriors ever do is cause misery! Now, Linphean warriors are honorable; they know not to conquer and maraud. But you are born into a good priestly family, girl, and you should not be a Linphean warrior, much less a UR one!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>***</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Is everyone okay?" Flora asked.</em>
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</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Everyone," Griselda said, "except"…</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Ms. Faragonda," the five girls said in unison. The deputy headmistress swallowed.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Correct," she said. "No one knows what's happened to her."</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Then we know what our next mission is," said Bloom. "We're going to find Ms. Faragonda and bring her back home."</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>***</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Flora walked up to the tree and placed her palms on its bark. Stepping back, she turned to face the other girls. "It </em>
  </strong>
  <strong>is </strong>
  <strong>
    <em>her."</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Our fairy-dust should have her out in no time," Stella declared.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"It's not quite so simple, Stella." Flora frowned. "The oak tree has grown around Ms. Faragonda's life essence. She </em>
  </strong>
  <strong>is </strong>
  <strong>
    <em>the tree."</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"So… we can't hurt it without hurting her?" Layla asked.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Well, we've gotta do something!" Bloom declared. "We can't let Ms. F stay like this! Especially after everything she's done for us!"</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Musa walked up to the tree, her voice barely an echo.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Ms. Faragonda," she said, "I don't know if you can hear me, but don't worry. We're gonna save you. I promise."</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>"Good," Griselda nodded. "We have our answer."</p><p>Layla, Musa, and Flora were in Griselda's office again. An hour had passed since they'd found Faragonda, but once they'd found the information, they wasted no time in going to see the deputy headmistress. Griselda turned towards the window, frowning. "You figured it out?"</p><p>"Yes." Flora nodded. "I called my parents and told them the situation. They told me to come home to Linphea."</p><p>"And then what?" asked Musa.</p><p>"We need to see the Sage of Tierra," Flora answered. "She's a famous priestess in the City of Trees, the capital city of Linphea. But we have to hurry. I spoke with my mother, and she said now that a half-moon has passed, this spell will become permanent once the sun sets in Magix tonight."</p><p>"Then we'd better hurry," Musa declared.</p><p>"Actually" – Layla frowned. "I won't be able to come."</p><p>"What?" gasped Musa. "You can't ditch Ms. Faragonda like that! She needs us!"</p><p>"I'm sorry," Layla winced. "I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for something important. My parents are coming to Magix City today. They need to speak to me about something urgent."</p><p><em>That can't be good. </em>Flora stared at Layla. "Is Andros in trouble?"</p><p>"I don't know," Layla answered. "But I have to go."</p><p>"All right," Griselda sighed. "I shall send Stella of Solaria with you, then. Miss Flora, I'm putting you in charge of leading this quest."</p><p>"Okay," Flora nodded. "Don't worry. We should reach Linphea by dawn and be able to return tomorrow at nightfall. You should probably know something, though…"</p><p>"What is it?" asked Griselda.</p><p>"The Sage of Tierra's my bisabuela."</p><p>***</p><p>Flora's great-grandmother had never been kind about the UR. She hated its very existence, the fact that it had to be there to dominate relations between the realms. A woman well over four-hundred years old, she had a very conservative view on realmwide issues.</p><p>And yet, her wisdom was known throughout all the realms. Flora hoped her bisabuela would see reason and eventually, acquiesce and help Faragonda.</p><p>The two-hour flight to Linphea was quiet. Griselda had arranged transport from Red Fountain, and Ben, a Red Fountain junior, was flying them. Flora, worn out from the battle, had collapsed on her chair and fallen asleep. Stella and Musa were Enchantix fairies, and therefore didn't need a nap. She woke up with a start as the ship touched down towards Linphea, sensing the atmospheric changes at once.</p><p>"We're here," Flora said at last as they entered the realm. It was a beautiful, fertile land, but even its beauty could not excite her spirits. "The City of Trees is this way."</p><p>"Are your parents meeting us?" Musa asked as they climbed off.</p><p>"My parents weren't able to make it," Flora answered, "but my little sister, Miele, is coming. She's going to take us to the City of" –</p><p>"Flora!" a voice called. A ten-year-old girl wearing a short sprigged dress and flowers in her hair ran towards Flora, her eyes bright.</p><p>"Miele!" Flora hugged her sister, picking her up the ground. "It's good to see you!"</p><p>"Where's she?" Miele asked, looking at Flora in confusion. "Where's your girlf" –</p><p>"Mirta's not here with us," Flora interrupted quickly. "She's back at Alfea. Two of my friends are here instead to take us to Bisabuela." She nodded at the others.</p><p>"I'm Musa Xi," said Musa.</p><p>"And I'm Stella di Solaria," Stella added proudly.</p><p>"No way!" gasped Miele. "You're a princess?"</p><p>"Totally," Stella smiled. "And a fashionable one, too. I can give you tips in style, if you ever want a boyf" –</p><p>"Anyways," Flora said quickly, cutting Stella off, "Miele, could you show us to the Enchanted Stairway?"</p><p>Miele beamed, happy to be of service. "It's right this way!" She ran towards the copse.</p><p>The other girls followed her, and gasped. Flora grinned as she stared up at the capital city of her realm, at its beauty and natural splendor.</p><p>The city was made of the tallest trees Flora had ever seen. Birds chirped and sung in harmony, and flowers and mushrooms grew just as tall as the trees. The hills were gorgeous, green and fertile.</p><p>"We've got to get up there," Flora said, pointing up to the top of the trees.</p><p>"No problem," Stella smiled. "We'll just fly right up" –</p><p>"That doesn't work," Miele answered. "The Enchanted Stairway is run by strong winds. We won't be able to reach the top that way."</p><p>"Then how do we get up?" asked Musa.</p><p>"We take the express," Miele grinned, pointing to a large leaf on the ground. Wind swirled around and picked up the leaf, spiraling it upwards.</p><p>"Hop on!" said Flora.</p><p>The girls dove onto the leaf as it flew into the air, sailing through the trees. Miele let out a whoop. Flora grinned as she stared around.</p><p><em>It's so nice to be home again</em>, she thought contentedly, staring around her. <em>It's so nice –</em></p><p>A screech above her startled Flora. Confused, she stared above as she saw black<em> pájaros dulces</em>, flying towards the leaf. Their normally calm eyes were menacing, and she gasped as one slammed at their ship.</p><p>The girls screamed as they were attacked. <em>These birds aren't the slightest bit aggressive! </em>She let out a gasp as it barreled towards Stella, its eyes murderous and cold.</p><p>"HEEELP!" Stella screamed as she was tossed towards the edge, grasping tightly onto the raft for dear life. "I really hate heigh" –</p><p>Her hands gave way; to Flora's horror, she was battered off the raft by the wind. But instead of falling to the ground, her wings took hold, catching the air and soaring into the sky. Gasping in awe, she turned around at her friends and yelled, "My wings are stronger! They can handle the wind!"</p><p>"I'm coming, too," Musa grinned. "Let's finish these birds off!"</p><p>"Hang on," Flora protested, "we don't want to hurt them! They would normally never attack us like that. Something must be up!"</p><p>Musa and Stella exchanged glances. "Do ya think Valtor's around?" Musa asked.</p><p>"I don't know," Stella answered, "but" –</p><p>"HEEEEEEE!" Miele screamed in fright. Flora turned around and saw, with horror, that a bird had picked her little sister off the leaf. Miele screamed, trying to break free, but the bird held tight.</p><p>"I'm coming!" Flora shot a nature storm at the bird, who squawked. To her even greater horror, the bird flew away, dropping Miele out of its clutches.</p><p>"Sun catcher!" Stella sent a ray of light to the screaming girl, who stopped struggling as her gravity was temporarily suspended. With all of her energy, Stella pulled Miele up to the leaf, where she at last collapsed in Flora's arms.</p><p>"Okay, it's time to take these down!" Musa said. "Attacking only makes them angrier, Stell. I vote we dust 'em!"</p><p>"How do we know these overgrown birds are really spelled?" Stella asked, looking at them in distaste. "Maybe that won't work."</p><p>"And maybe it will," Flora answered. "Try it, both of you!"</p><p>Stella and Musa linked hands, summoning their Enchantix pouches. Yellow dust merged with purple, and they both closed their eyes.</p><p>The dust scattered all around the birds, who stopped and howled in surprise. Flora watched as a white light enveloped the birds, so bright she had to look away. When it was over, the birds squawked timidly and flew away.</p><p>"Woo-hoo!" Stella cheered. "We did it!"</p><p>"And there's the City of Trees!" Miele added, pointing to the treetops ahead of them. Flora smiled as she saw the homes built into trunks of trees, the fairies dancing on the treetops and flowers and toadstools. <em>It's so beautiful there…</em> The leaf landed on a mushroom, and Flora stepped off.</p><p>"Come on," she said. "It's time to see my bisabuela."</p><p>***</p><p>The leaves jingled as they walked from branch-to-branch, and Flora marveled at how easy these branches were to walk on. They were wide, almost the size of a paved road, but were intertwined, making it much more fun. She had heard of the City of Trees, but this was her first time coming here, and it was the most amazing thing she'd ever seen.</p><p>The homes were built into trees of trunks. Linphean people were very friendly, and they waved to them from their windows as they passed by. At the top of the elongated flowers and mushrooms, fairy children were dancing, playing together in the beautiful paradise they all shared. The blue sky was bright and cheerful as they walked towards the Tree of the Elder.</p><p>"Those flowers are beautiful!" Musa gasped, pointing at a bunch.</p><p>"Aren't they?" Flora grinned. The flowers were <em>flores del iris</em>, a rare type of flower that changed color from day to night.</p><p>They walked towards the <em>árbol sabio</em>, the tallest tree in the city. As soon as they entered through the hollow, the atmosphere changed. Flora gazed around the interior of the tree, letting out a gasp of awe.</p><p>Beautiful designs were carved into the sides of the trees. She could make out, through the dim light afforded by the sun, that they were very ancient. <em>This is so beautiful… </em>She stared forward, noting the curved wood of the platform in front of them, where the Sage was supposed to sit. <em>This is so beautiful – but where is Bisabuela?</em></p><p>"Alfea girls," a voice above them said. "Including my bad girl Flora. Come here."</p><p>Flora stared up at Iztel Fernández, who was walking into the hollow from a back entrance. She was wearing a brown robe that reached all the way to her toes. Her white hair flowed down to her waist, and she stared grimly at them. "UR girls setting foot in this sacred place."</p><p>"Bisabuela," Flora protested. "We're not UR girls. We have to save the headmistress of Alfea. Please, help us."</p><p>"And why should I?" Priestess Iztel asked irritably. "Ruined my realm, that's what they all did. This UR reduced Linphea to the status of rubble. Big, stinkin' corporate governmen' came and ruined us, that's what it did. Under the false name of 'peace', created a higher order where Linphea has ta bow down to the will of Magix and Zenith, Domino too before it was destroyed. That Malvilla woman, she ain't known the first thing 'bout natural beauty, imprisoned all the poor animals from all the realms."</p><p>Flora sighed. Her bisabuela was centuries older than her, so of course she had been alive when Malvilla was headmistress of Alfea. If her bisabuela was to be believed, she was a crooked, cheating marauder with no respect for anything other than the status of her school.</p><p>"And that Faragonda woman," Iztel continued, "she seems to be goin' the same way" –</p><p>"Hey!" Stella fired up. "Don't diss our headmistress!"</p><p>Iztel's eyes snapped up. Flora stared at her friend in disbelief, stunned. <em>Oh Linphèana...</em> She shot her friend a desperate look.</p><p>But Stella wasn't by any means finished. "If you knew her, you'd know what a totally amazing woman she is. She took down that jerk Valtor right in front of all of us, and lost, but she still had the guts to do it! Not to mention, she's taught us so much about how to be real fairies! So if you're gonna help us, then help us instead of sitting around whining because your precious realm can't get it together!"</p><p>There was a silence. Flora, Musa, and Miele stared at Stella, completely taken aback. Flora squeezed her sister's hand, letting out a high sigh. <em>We might as well turn back right now...</em> Tears began to form, and she closed her eyes.</p><p>And opened them again as soon as she heard Iztel's laugh.</p><p>"You've got good friends, Flora," she chuckled. "I like her." Flora swallowed as she gazed up at her wise great-grandmother's eyes.</p><p>"The answer is this," she said. "If you wish to free your headmistress from imprisonment's grasp, you must reverse the flow of time."</p><p>"Wait, you already <em>know</em> about Faragonda being trapped?" gasped Musa.</p><p>"What do you think?" Iztel answered. "We priestesses have our own network of information. We communicate with each other so we can learn."</p><p>"Wow," said Flora in amazement. Iztel snorted.</p><p>"This is why I wanted you to become a priestess, girl," she said. "You'd be learning and reflecting, instead of wasting your time on this martial nonsense." She sighed. "You must go to the Black Willow in the Marshlands."</p><p>"The Marshlands?" asked Flora, startled. "I thought that was a wasteland."</p><p>"Of course you did, you silly girl," Iztel said. "It used to be the most beautiful marsh of all the realms, until the Great Fire of 728 in the Age of Blood, courtesy of Zenith" –</p><p>"<em>Bisabuela</em>!"</p><p>"Fine," Iztel muttered, breaking off from what would have been a two-hour rant. "There were two willows on the plains. One was killed and the other was badly charred. In grief, she began to weep for her sister. Her grief was so intense that the water flowed out of the cave and up the cliffside, all the way to the top of the mountain."</p><p>"A river that flows <em>upwards</em>?" gasped Musa.</p><p>"That's what I just said," snapped Iztel. "One drop of that water will turn back time and revive your headmistress. In order to harvest it, you must touch the water without touching it. I'll leave that one for you young 'uns to figure out." She let out a snort. "So go to the cave and get some water."</p><p>"Will do!" Stella said. "Let's go, girls!"</p><p><em>Right</em>, thought Flora. They had no time to waste. <em>Ms. Faragonda will remain a tree forever if we don't go...</em></p><p>"Oh, and there's one more thing, Princess Stella of Solaria."</p><p>Stella halted. Flora could see her eyeing the old woman with annoyance. "What?"</p><p>"You are going to break the spell on your father, correct?"</p><p>Stella growled. "Of course I'm not letting that jerk Cassandra control him. So?"</p><p>"If you wish to free him, you must proceed with caution," Iztel answered. "You may be tempted to rush out and do everything quickly, but that will not work. Too many young people these day just rush out and react, instead of taking the time to think. At the same time, you cannot be too hesitant and not act when the time is right, like those useless world leaders out there." Her eyes flashed. "And if nothing else, I will say this: you have good instincts, Stella of Solaria."</p><p><em>Bisabuela must really like her</em>, Flora realized. It took a lot for the old priestess to give anyone a compliment, much less an impulsive girl like Stella. Stella's face flushed, and then she turned to the girls.</p><p>"Okay," she said. "So whaddya say we go and free Ms. Faragonda?"</p><p>***</p><p>Half-an-hour later, the girls were walking towards the cave. They walked urgently, their boots clinking against the ground. They had no time to waste; Faragonda's fate depended on them all.</p><p>Miele wasn't with them. Before heading to the cave, Flora had sent her home, much to her chagrin.</p><p>"But I wanna help you save Ms. Faragonda," she had protested.</p><p>"You can't, sweetie," Flora said gently. "You did a great job leading us to the City of Trees; we all appreciate you very much for that. But you're too young."</p><p>"But I'm a fairy!" Miele pouted.</p><p>"And you're going to be a great fairy when you grow up." Flora smiled. "But the girls and I will handle it now. Ladybug, take her home."</p><p>She picked up her sister and placed her on the ladybug, with the same ease as when she'd bathed her or change her when she was a baby. The ladybug soared into the air, and then Miele was off.</p><p>And now, they were entering the cave. There was a waterfall outside that extended all the way upwards, up the mountain. In the cave was a majestic, black willow with flourishing green leaves. Next to it was the charred stump of what had once been a tree, a very old one.</p><p>"This is beautiful," gasped Musa.</p><p>"So cool," agreed Stella. She was about to reach down and touch the water, but Flora stopped her.</p><p>"Wait!" she said. "You don't want to touch that, Stell. You could become a little kid again!"</p><p>"Oh," gasped Stella, pulling her hand away. "Then what do we do?"</p><p>"We have to touch the water without touching it," Flora reminded her.</p><p>"Obviously we need a cup or something," Musa pointed out. "I wish we'd thought to bring it ourselves!"</p><p>"No problem!" Stella picked up a large boulder from the ground. Sending solar energy into the rock, she melted the surface, creating a dent that would hold a fairly large amount of water. She grinned triumphantly and bent down towards the river.</p><p>A sudden flash of lightning hit Musa squarely in the chest. Flora jumped, startled, as the Trix appeared, cackling.</p><p>"You three!" Stella yelled, putting her hands on her hips.</p><p>"Musa!" Flora shouted. "Are you all right?"</p><p>"I'm fine," Musa panted, pulling herself to her feet. She glared at Stormy.</p><p>"What are you jerks doing here, anyways?" Stella snarled. The three laughed.</p><p>"Destroying your little plan, that's what," Icy crooned.</p><p>"We've got some nature spells to cast," Darcy added. "Or rather, <em>I</em> have. It involves a new power Valtor gave me. Watch and learn!"</p><p>The witch sent a wave of nebulous energy into the water. Flora watched with horror as the water turned murky and black, grimy and unfixable. <em>We'll never be able to bring this back to Ms. Faragonda now...</em></p><p>Icy and Stormy laughed. "Good work, Darce!" Icy smirked.</p><p>"Okay, it's showtime," said Darcy, her eyes blazing purple. "We're gonna finish you pixies off."</p><p>"No, it'll be <em>we</em> who finish <em>you</em> off!" Stella fired back. "Bring it on, hotshot!"</p><p>Icy fired a volley of ice at Stella, who dodged. Musa took on Stormy, slamming her with a sonic boom. And Darcy flew towards Flora, darkness in her eyes as she sent forward a dark wave.</p><p><em>No!</em> Flora winced as the nuclear darkness hit her. Feeling nauseous, she pushed back with all her strength, hitting Darcy with a lotus spell.</p><p>But Darcy repelled it disdainfully, and with horror, Flora realized they'd gotten stronger. She stared at them, aghast. "It was <em>you</em> who set the birds on us!"</p><p>"It was," Darcy smirked. "I've also got some more for you, too." She shot a dark spell at Flora, who set up a green shield. Using up all the energy she could, she held the barrier tight, preventing it from hitting her. The dark spell went into the shield, and then there was no more.</p><p>Darcy gnashed her teeth in annoyance. "You're the only loser here without your Enchantix. Why is this so hard?"</p><p>"Because this is my home territory," she answered, hope rising in her. "You're not going to destroy it."</p><p>"Oh, I already <em>have</em>," Darcy laughed. "We heard all about your headmistress, living in a tree. There's no hope for her."</p><p>With a sickening feeling, Flora realized she was right. <em>And if Ms. Faragonda isn't freed, then what chance do we have against Valtor?</em></p><p>"You're wrong!" a voice behind them said. "My sister Flora will never give up!"</p><p>Flora whirled around. Standing behind them was Miele, right in the entrance of the cave. Her eyes were bright and alert as she glared at Darcy, her hands balled into fists.</p><p>"Miele!" Flora ran up to her, trying to catch her sister in her arms, but the fight had made her considerably weaker and she was fighting for breath. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>"I'm – saving you from those witches!" Miele panted.</p><p>"As if!" Icy had stopped fighting Stella, and was turning around to gaze at Miele with interest. "Who is this little pipsqueak?"</p><p>"I'm Flora's sister, and I'm not a pipsqueak!" Miele fired back. "I'm a fairy!"</p><p>The Trix broke into laughter. Stella used their distractedness to her advantage, slamming Icy and Stormy with a solar blast. They gasped in outrage, slamming into the wall.</p><p>To Flora's even greater horror, Miele ran towards Darcy, howling. With a purple gaze over her eyes, Darcy picked up a nebulous spell in her hands.</p><p>"All right," she snarled, slamming it down, "if I can't break you, Flora, then maybe you need some convincing!"</p><p><em>No!</em> Flora watched, horrified, as Darcy slammed all her power at Miele. The fledgling fairy was no match for the experienced witch, and she screamed in horror as she was thrown into the water.</p><p>"Miele!" Flora screamed. She could hear the Trix laughing above her, and whirled around in pain and anger. "That was my sister!" she snarled, setting a Venus fly-trap at them. Not waiting to see if it'd caught its target, she flew down, swimming through the water.</p><p>She hadn't even time to take a breath, and her body was growing heavier and slower by the second. <em>Come on, come </em>on<em>... </em>Her lungs were on fire, and every pore of her body screamed at her to swim back up to the surface and save herself.</p><p>But she knew she couldn't do that. <em>I'm going to save my sister, no matter what cost. </em>It was her fault this had happened, and she would live with her pain. At the bottom of the river she caught her sister, fighting against the spots of darkness in her vision.</p><p>Flora scooped her sister in her arms and created a water-repelling bubble around Miele. Her sister frantically gasped the air, her blue cheeks turning red. "Flora, what are you doing?" she cried.</p><p>Flora knew that time was running out. The darkness had covered half of her vision, and she felt as if a rope was strangling her by the neck. She didn't have enough energy to save both of them.</p><p><em>But I do have enough for Miele... </em>With the last of her magical-energy, she pushed the bubble upwards until it zoomed out of sight. Breathless and exhausted, but also relieved, she fell down, the water possessing her as she sank to the bottom of the bed.</p><p>She'd heard that suffocation was painful, but there was nothing. Only... peace. Letting her last breath out, she closed her eyes. The last thing she saw was Miele's bubble shooting up to the surface of the river, into the light.</p><p>Flora opened her eyes. Something was around her – pink, tight walls with natural energy pulsing inside. She felt dry, warm, and safe, as if nothing would hurt her. Sitting up, she stared around at the walls.</p><p><em>Where am I?</em> How had she gotten here? Was this the realm of the dead, the Otherworld of the gods? <em>But if I'm dead, then how come I feel so whole?</em></p><p>She stared down at her brown body, completely naked. It was then that she felt it. A soft wind caressed her body, pollen glittering around her as she stared around.</p><p>Her body was covered in soft, olive sparkles. Then her outfit began to form. A short dress, in different shades of pink, flowed as if it was made of flowers itself. Stripes of blue were at her breastbone. Flora watched breathlessly as green vines snaked up her legs, fading to dark blue. She gazed down at her chest and saw a pink, flower-shaped pouch between her breasts. Pink flowers appeared on her head, and her hair styled itself, going up in ringlets and falling down.</p><p><em>This is my Enchantix</em>, she realized. <em>I – I got my Enchantix! I'm a full-fledged fairy now!</em> Staring around, she felt magical energy rush over her shoulder blades. Like buds bursting into bloom, a pair of dark pink wings unfurled out, with green highlights and blue jewels.</p><p>The world around her changed. Flora watched as the pink roof above her parted, moving way to reveal a green cocoon. <em>I was in a flower this whole time!</em> The rose burst into bloom, from a fledgling bud to a blossoming flower.</p><p>And just like the flower she stood on, Flora felt reborn. A new burst of energy rushed through her, sending waves of natural energy into her veins. She could feel nature itself connecting with her, sending its radiant vibrance into her body. <em>And now... it's time for the showdown.</em> The cocoon dissolved, and Flora found herself standing at the bottom of the river.</p><p>She quickly created an air-bubble, rising up to the surface. Her Enchantix wings were unaffected by the water as she swam, repelling it as easily as butter. Bursting into the sky, she hovered magnificently in the air, gleaming triumphantly at the witches.</p><p>Musa and Stella gasped in amazement; Miele stopped crying. The witches were eyeing Flora with outrage as she flew towards them. She lifted her pink-and-blue floral pouch from her neck.</p><p>Olive-green dust sprinkled into the murky waters, cleansing them at first touch. Within seconds, the water had turned from its sordid black to a gleaming, azure blue. Darcy shouted out indignantly at her spell's change.</p><p>Flora smiled. Focusing her new powers on the tree, she whispered quietly to it. <em>Please help us out</em>, she thought. <em>Punish those witches for sullying your water and for nearly killing my sister Miele. I ask of you, bereaved willow, do not let them get away with this.</em></p><p>She had never commanded trees before. She'd only ever commanded magivines and other magical plants she could create in an instant, plants that rose up from the ground and decomposed as soon as they were no longer fed a constant stream of energy. She could also command other non-magical plants, such as already-existing ivy and vines, to trip a person or wrap themselves around an intruder. Trees were different, however; they had a heart of their own, which was why they could never be commanded, only requested. And she had never been able to do that before with simply her Winx or Charmix power.</p><p>But it worked. The willow was seething with anger, and responded attentively to her call. With her help, the willow extended a branch forward, grabbing Icy, Darcy, and Stormy. The three were dumped into the river, howling and screaming as they disappeared under the surface.</p><p>"Way to go, girl!" Stella cheered. "That's some real power there!"</p><p>The three witches crawled out of the water unceremoniously, sopping wet. Flora flew to the ground and stared at them in fascination.</p><p>They had gone from being young adults to little girls. Younger than Miele, their faces and hairstyles were distinctly juvenile. They had identical pouts on their faces as they looked at each other.</p><p>"You looked like that, Ice?" Stormy asked. "I forgot you wore your hair in ponytails."</p><p>"And I forgot you never had hair to begin with," Icy snarled back.</p><p>"Hey, what's this?" Darcy picked up a stone on the ground, streaked with the water of the Black Willow's tears. "That's pwety." She held it to her chest, but Stormy grabbed it.</p><p>"I want it!" she snarled.</p><p>"I saw it first!" Darcy defended herself.</p><p>"Hey, it's mine!" Icy bullied her two sisters, grabbing them both with her superior strength. "I'm the oldest!"</p><p>Flora watched the antics of the three triplets with amusement. <em>How is it that they're so predictable?</em> Musa stepped forward.</p><p>"Hey, you'd better buzz off home right now!" she warned. "Unless you want a good ol' spanking!"</p><p>The three witch tots squealed and ran out of the cave, the stone falling to the ground. Flora, Musa, Stella, and Miele stood together and laughed until their sides ached.</p><p>As they stood together, Flora sat down and held Miele in her arms, gazing at her sister lovingly. Miele brushed a strand of Flora's hair out of her face, laughing. "Thanks for saving me, sis."</p><p>"You tried to defend us first," Flora smiled. "Already I can tell your heart is in the right place." Miele grinned and snuggled against Flora's chest.</p><p>Flora knew she'd never forget this moment. The moment she'd risen to magical maturity, but also a quiet moment of pride and love. She knew no matter what, she would never forget what had made her rise to this ancient power of nobility and sacrifice.</p><p>***</p><p>"Let's go!" Musa shouted as the ship touched down on Gloomy Wood Forest.</p><p>Ben nodded. "I'll open the compartment below," he said. "You girls fly down. I don't know where Ms. Faragonda's tree is, but I'm sure you'll be able to find it."</p><p>"Don't worry," Stella grinned. "Flora's got that under check."</p><p>"We've got to go quickly, though," Flora said, staring at the sky. Because of the delay the Trix had caused, it was almost twilight, the sun just on the horizon. "Once the last rays of sun set, we won't be able to save Ms. Faragonda!"</p><p>"Door is open," Ben answered. "You girls go!"</p><p>The three transformed and flew out of the ship compartment, zooming in front of it. Flora led the way, closing her eyes.</p><p><em>Ms. Faragonda</em>, she thought, <em>let us find you.</em></p><p>She sensed Ms. Faragonda's tree ahead of them, towards the north. Heart plummeting, she gasped. "Ben's dropped us too far from her tree! We'll never make it!"</p><p>"Yes we will!" Stella grabbed her hand. "Our Enchantix wings are much faster. You just have to know how to use them!"</p><p>"Stella has been practicing in Enchantix Class, and she and Layla have been teaching me new skills all week," Musa added. "So don't worry. We'll be fine."</p><p>Flora nodded, following them. Enchantix Class was run by Ms. Faragonda, which she would join now that she'd grown new wings. <em>Assuming we free her in time...</em> She glanced up and saw that a third of the sun was now below the horizon.</p><p>"Don't watch that!" Stella shouted, grabbing her hands. "Let's just go!"</p><p>"How do I use my fast wings?" Flora asked.</p><p>"Just focus within and feel your wings," Stella answered. "You'll be able to take magical energy from your inner reservoir to power your wings. It will affect your ability to cast spells, though."</p><p><em>That doesn't matter</em>, thought Flora. <em>The important thing is getting to Ms. Faragonda.</em> She focused within and closed her eyes, linking hands with Stella and Musa.</p><p>A strong vine of energy grabbed her, snaking into her wings and giving her control. She could feel energy gathering between her wings, itching to go at a faster speed. <em>But now I can...</em> Letting go of her friends, she zoomed towards the north.</p><p>She led the way, following her senses that connected her with the tree to the north, the tree that held their headmistress' lifeline. <em>We have to get there...</em> Heart pounding, she soared towards a tree...</p><p>And stopped as soon as four witches appeared.</p><p>"Oh no!" gasped Flora, slowing down. She sensed that the witches were under Valtor's control, and they shot an attack spell at her, one which she narrowly dodged. Musa flew forward, her eyes blazing.</p><p>"You go ahead, Flo!" she yelled. "We'll take care of this!"</p><p>Flora nodded, racing frantically with the water under her arms. A third of the sun was under the horizon; she had no time to waste.</p><p><em>I have to get to the grove</em>, she thought. She flew frantically, flying against time.</p><p>She reached the grove of the tree, grabbing the saucer of water. And then she froze. Valtor was standing right there, a smile on his face.</p><p>"Well, well," he smirked. "Fairy of nature, here we meet. So nice to see you."</p><p>Flora hovered, paralyzed with panic. <em>No, no, no...</em> She shot an ivy vine at him.</p><p>But he effortlessly dodged, flying towards her. She screamed as he bound her in an electric cage.</p><p>"Looks like your poor headmistress isn't going to be saved," he jeered. "So sad."</p><p>Flora glared at him, trying her hardest not to burst into tears. <em>Not now, not now...</em> Her Enchantix, all for nothing. Valtor smiled, staring up at his prisoner as he spoke.</p><p>"I sent those witches after you to stop you from getting the water, which they obviously failed at," he said. "But I am here, and you are no match for me, little fairy."</p><p><em>That's not true</em>, Flora thought. She had her Enchantix, and although she may still be weaker than Valtor, she wasn't going to fail. <em>I have to do this. </em>She focused her energy on the trees, calling to them. Trying to stall Valtor for as much as possible, she said, "What are you going to do to Bloom?"</p><p>"Bloom?" Valtor snorted, though she saw a surprised look in his eyes. "What would I care about that pathetic fairy?"</p><p>"I know you're after her," Flora said boldly. "It's not a secret that she has the Dragon Flame. You're going to do something to her."</p><p>Valtor laughed. "After I finish you off, yes. But I'll let you know that I'm saving her for the very last." His eyes burned. "You have no idea how easy it would be for me. She could be gone in an instant if I willed it, after all the power I've accumulated."</p><p>The trees listened to Flora's call. Flora forced her mind to work in two hemispheres as she stared at Valtor.</p><p>"You haven't answered my question. What do you want with her?"</p><p>"You think I'm going to give away all my secrets?" Valtor laughed. "As if. You mistake me for a novice, young fairy." He looked up as the trees twisted towards him, and gasped in surprise. "What" –</p><p>His words cut off as the branches grabbed him, pulling him by the waist. Gasping, Valtor tried to pull away, but was trapped. The electric bars disappeared. Flora smiled at him, sending him a stream of pollen dust as an insult.</p><p>"I think it's <em>you</em> who mistook <em>me</em> as a novice," she said smartly, flying away.</p><p>She had to be quick. She had no idea how long Valtor would be held, and in any case, the sun was barely above the horizon. Only a few rays penetrated through, illuminating the air. <em>I have to go...</em> She reached Faragonda's tree and grabbed her water.</p><p>"Here goes nothing," she whispered, pouring water over Faragonda's face. Combining it with her fairy-dust, she spiraled around the tree, from the roots, through the branches, and up to the crown. The sweet-scented dust spread everywhere, the young tree glittering from top to bottom.</p><p>And as the final ray of sun shone down, the tree burst into light. A white flash covered it from root to crown, and Flora fell to the ground, kneeling.</p><p>In the flash of bright light, an old woman stepped out, smiling. She placed her hand on Flora's head, and the nature-fairy looked up, relieved to see her headmistress at last.</p><p>"Smart girl, Flora," she said. "I think you passed your final exam with flying colors. You have grown very much from your first day as a freshman at Alfea."</p><p>Flora looked gratefully at her headmistress, remembering her first day at Alfea. How scared she'd been, until she'd met Bloom and the others. And from then on, she'd grown, from a shy, apologetic girl to a loving, mature fairy. Her ability to profess her love to Mirta last year, after she'd helped her heal the Flower of Life, was proof of that growth and maturity. And now, she was a Fairy of Nature at last.</p><p>A shout behind her told her that Valtor had freed himself from the tree's clutches. Faragonda turned around, her eyes blazing.</p><p>"Now, Flora," she said. "Let's take him down together!"</p><p>Valtor smiled. "I don't think that will be necessary," he said. "This battle I concede to you, but not the war. You are free, Headmistress Faragonda, but do not mistake freedom for mercy, as you will be one of the last to fall." He bowed. "Flora, fairy of nature, until we meet again."</p><p>He vanished, presumably to Cloud Tower. Flora looked at Faragonda, who smiled gently and placed her hand on Flora's shoulder.</p><p>"Valtor's right," she said. "We will meet him again. But you have now joined the ranks of the Higher Art, Flora, and you will train with me to learn new skills. That, I am sure of."</p><p>Flora nodded, gazing at the almost-dark sky. Stars were beginning to appear, and she knew the battle would be long and arduous. <em>But I can at least learn the Higher Art now. </em>She held her head high.</p><p>
  <em>And then help my friends take Valtor down.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Semester Finals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Previously on AUP…</p><p>“I’m sorry, guys,” Layla frowned. "I can’t come to Linphea."<br/>"What?" gasped Musa. "Ms. Faragonda needs us!"<br/>"I'm sorry," Layla winced. "My parents are coming to Magix City today. They need to speak to me about something urgent.”</p><p>"We've practiced this spell for weeks now," Palladium said. "Tecna, you should be able to do this. You haven't been applying yourself at all." He reached into his desk and pulled something out.<br/>"And these," he said, "are your quizzes from Advanced Battle.” She'd gotten a 74% on one and a 52% on the other.<br/>"You've never gotten below an 80% on theory exams before." Palladium frowned at her. "Tecna, is there something going on in your personal life that we need to know about? Something that's preventing you from doing your work?"<br/>"No," said Tecna instantly. "Absolutely nothing."<br/>"You disappeared from campus a few weeks ago," Palladium responded, "for no apparent reason. You never do anything without a reason. That gives me good reason to believe something's going on." He sighed. "I'm going to give you extra coaching after class."<br/>"But" – Tecna gasped.<br/>"No buts," he said firmly. "I've spoken with Headmistress Faragonda, and she's agreed. You need to learn these spells, Tecna. How do you think you're going to learn to defend the Magical Dimension? Great evil is coming, and we need every student on campus to be able to apply herself if there's any chance of defeating Valtor. Do you understand?"</p><p>“Princess of Domino,” Valtor jeered, “want to face it off?”<br/>"No!" Faragonda zoomed towards him. "You will not attack any one of my students. Your quarrel is with me, and me alone!"<br/>'I knew it!' thought Tecna. 'Something happened between the two of them, something horrible. But what?'</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>I can't do this</em>, Tecna thought, her head spinning. <em>I just can't. </em>She stared down at her desk, feeling exhausted and drained.</p><p>"We have midterms coming up in a few weeks," Avalon said, "and you haven't even learned spells we went over in the first month of school." He frowned at her. "Apply yourself, Tecna!"</p><p><em>Apply myself. </em>Words she'd heard from Palladium, Faragonda, and just about every teacher at this point. She suppressed a groan.</p><p>"You can do it," Avalon repeated. "You just have to try."</p><p>Tecna groaned. <em>I don't want to do this… I hate being here. </em>She stared down at the floor.</p><p>Avalon had finally gotten his way with the extra coaching. He'd spoken to Griselda, who'd been acting as temporary headmistress; she'd agreed to make Tecna go for extra help. And now Tecna had no choice but to work with him, alongside Palladium and Wizkiz, both of whom had noticed her inadequacy in class.</p><p><em>This leaves me even </em>less <em>time to do Vasiliev's work. </em>How could she, when she had three hours of extra-coaching every night? It didn't help her, and it certainly didn't help her with all the work that was piling up on her shoulders.</p><p>"Go ahead," Avalon said. "Focus on your energy within. Focus your magical reservoir."</p><p>Tecna concentrated. <em>I need to connect with my source… </em>She focused inward, gritting her teeth as she tried to get in-tune with herself.</p><p>"Focus on your breathing first," the professor said. "That will help you."</p><p><em>Okay. </em>Tecna closed her eyes, gasping in air. <em>I'm so tired… </em>She heaved her breath in and out, not feeling any calmer than before.</p><p>"You can't force this," Avalon said calmly. "Let it in, and let it out. Don't force anything."</p><p><em>Shut up! </em>thought Tecna, gritting her teeth. <em>You're so annoying! </em>Letting out an irritated breath, she slammed her energy into herself.</p><p>Electricity zapped through her. She screamed as she fell down, pain shooting through her limbs. <em>No… </em>Avalon ran to her and knelt down.</p><p>"Are you all right?" he asked.</p><p>Tecna didn't answer. Her headache was magnified, and white-hot pain shot through all her joints. <em>No… </em>Avalon helped her up.</p><p>"I'll get you to the infirmary," he said.</p><p>"No," Tecna said, pulling away. "I'll be fine."</p><p>"I don't think so," Avalon frowned. "Your energy just combusted. You need to be checked to make sure you're all right" –</p><p>"<em>No</em>," Tecna said forcefully. There was a reason why she avoided Nurse Ofelia as much as possible, and it was because she was a cyborg. <em>I can't have her find out… </em>That would be a complete, utter disaster.</p><p>"Okay, then," Avalon said warily. "Get some sleep, then."</p><p>Tecna forced down the bitter laugh in her throat. <em>Sleep… yeah, right… </em>She stalked off, lowering her head as she disappeared out of his classroom and into the hall.</p><p>***</p><p>That night was extraordinarily difficult. Tecna continued working at her sets; she had finished the eleven-hundredth and twenty-fifth of the week. <em>Not nearly enough… </em>Gritting her teeth, she stared up at the board in front of her, her eyes dull.</p><p>There were just too many distractions. If she didn't have to do so much work, and complete all Alfea obligations, she'd be fine. But now she had so many things going on around her, as well as Vasiliev's rules. <em>I can't do this. I can't I can't I can't I can't…</em></p><p>BREAKING NEWS, suddenly flashed across her screen. SUMMIAN PRESIDENT HILARIOUSLY GAFFES, TWEETS 'DEATH TO VALOR' INSTEAD OF 'DEATH TO VALTOR' –</p><p><em>And there's </em>that<em>! </em>Why did feed always have to pop up in front of her vision when she was working? <em>I swear, if I get </em>one<em> more of these…</em></p><p>As if on cue, the Magix Modern Matrix sent out another alert. BREAKING NEWS: ZENITH MISSILE-LAUNCHES DISCOVERED ON REMOTE PLANET.</p><p>Tecna sat up straight. <em>What? </em>Zenith was testing <em>missiles </em>now?</p><p><em>Please don't tell me what I think is going on. </em>A bad feeling was settling in her gut, unavoidable and painful. She scrolled through her feed, trying to focus on that and her coding at the same time.</p><p>
  <em>Zenithian missile activity has just been public. For the past many months, the superpower has been testing missiles and other weapons under the radar. However, Triple M experts have just uncovered missile activity on the remote planet of Kronos, near the Kingdom of Eraklyon, amid heavy enchantments cloaking the activity.</em>
</p><p>Space, function(t48595) = 450; If function(t48595) = true, function(t48595(x)) = 393.6; function(t48596)…</p><p>
  <em>This activity has been a cause for concern of many world leaders.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"This is very troubling news," a spokesman for Queen Isabel of Linphea said in a statement. "The Disarmament Treaty of 126 declared all missile activity to be illegal, and ordered disarmament of all UR nations. This is a clear violation of that treaty, as well as unacceptable for any progressive realm."</em>
</p><p>() = verified; (t48610(x)) = 85494; function(t48611)…</p><p>
  <em>Zenith's clear violation of the Disarmament Treaty may lead to ramifications from the UR itself. It is not clear exactly what those ramifications might be, but the UR has never been afraid to step in as a governing body and sanction realms that do not follow to its creed. Zenith, as a signatory to the Disarmament Treaty, must adhere to all terms set by said Treaty and act as a proper realm in UR standing…</em>
</p><p>= true; binaryCode93002 = 01010001; .document…</p><p>"Ms. Faragonda's back!"</p><p>Tecna jumped, completely startled. <em>What's going on? </em>She stared blankly at Bloom, who'd just arrived in Tecna's dorm room. The pixies trailed behind her.</p><p>"Flora, Musa, and Stella succeeded," Bloom continued. "She's addressing the school now. We're all needed in the quad!"</p><p>"All right!" Digit cheered. "Three cheers for them!"</p><p>Tecna glared at the pixie, who was pointedly ignoring her.<em> You won't own up to what you did? Fine.</em></p><p>After seeing the Faragonda tree in the forest, Tecna and Digit had gotten into a fight. Tecna was, naturally, furious that Digit had told the other Winx what she'd done.</p><p>"You promised you wouldn't tell!" she snapped at Digit. "How could you betray me like that?"</p><p>"Well, <em>you </em>promised me it'd be a few weeks at the most," Digit fired back, "and it's Octomensis already!"</p><p>"You know I have a lot of work to do!" Tecna snarled. "This was the least you could do for me, Digit! I can't believe I trusted you!"</p><p>"You know <em>what</em>?" Digit snarled. "I can't believe I didn't report you to Ms. Faragonda the moment you asked me to do your stupid homework! This is ridiculous, Tecna! It has to stop!"</p><p>"Well, I didn't <em>force </em>you to do my homework," Tecna retorted. "I don't even <em>need </em>you! I'll do my homework on my own!"</p><p>"Fine!" Digit flew out the window, slamming it shut behind her.</p><p>"<em>Fine</em>!" Tecna yelled, kicking the wall with her nonmetal foot. <em>Oww, that hurts… </em>She fell down to the floor, gasping at the pain in her toe.</p><p>And now, she got up as quickly as adrenaline would let her, tiredness overtaking her. <em>I guess I'll have to finish my coding later… of course, </em>another <em>interruption…</em> She changed quickly, and she and Digit followed Bloom out the door.</p><p>Girls were standing in the quad, staring. They cheered as Musa, Stella, and Flora walked by her side, shouting.</p><p>"Ms. F's back!" they chanted. "Ms. F's back! Ms. F's back!"</p><p><em>How do they have so much energy?</em> thought Tecna, staring. She couldn't even remember what energy felt like, how it was like to be fully awake. <em>There's nothing to even be excited about...</em></p><p>"Of course," Eris smirked. "It must've been easy, not having that witch-girl tailing them."</p><p>Tecna glared at Eris. <em>Shut up… </em>But she was too tired to do or even say anything about her. She stared up at the headmistress, who smiled and waved her hands for quiet.</p><p>"Thank you, girls," she said. "First of all, I'd like to thank Musa, Stella, and Flora, who journeyed courageously to Linphea. I was trapped in a tree, and they needed a special type of Linphean water in order to reverse the spell Valtor put upon me. I also have a special shout-out for Flora, who earned her Enchantix in the process. As she flew towards my tree to release me, she was cornered by Valtor. She successfully managed to trick him, and freed me just as twilight descended upon us."</p><p><em>She did what?</em> thought Tecna in amazement. Flora smiled modestly, her cheeks turning as pink as possible on her brown skin. The fairies' cheers changed, and they began to chant, "Flora! Flora! Flora!"</p><p>"Now," Faragonda continued, and the chants hushed. "I apologize for calling you so late, out of your dorms. But I have decided that it is time for you girls to know the truth. It was a mistake to ever shield it from you, and if anything should ever happen to me, you will need to know why he's like this so you can step it up. I need you all to know about Valtor."</p><p>The tension increased; not a single eye strayed from Faragonda. It was clear that she was giving them the information they'd wanted to hear for so long. Digit stopped tapping her phone and stared up at the headmistress.</p><p>"Two hundred years ago, the wizard we now know as Valtor was born," Faragonda said. "He was born in Whisperia, the son of a witch named Ahmya. He was named Basan, after the fire-breathing beast of Whisperia. Although his mother was Whisperian in birth, for a time, she lived in a realm that is now buried in ice and snow. In fact, she was a servant in the Palace of Domino."</p><p>Everyone gasped. Tecna and the Winx turned to stare at Bloom, who had a stunned expression on her face.</p><p>"King Ludwig had a wife, Queen Helga," Faragonda added. "However, their marriage was unhappy, and he was known to have many mistresses. One of them was Ahmya. The infant boy was, in many ways, more wizard than fairy-man; by age three, he could cast spells. He is not a true Dominian, because he mostly has powers endemic to Whisperians. However, the young Basan had inherited one power of his father's, one which the Ancestresses coveted: the Dragon Flame.</p><p>"The Ancestresses soon found out. When the boy was three years old, they murdered his sickly mother and snatched him from her dead body. With their extensive training, he turned into a strong warrior, one of the strongest wizards in Whisperia.</p><p>"When Basan found that he was the son of King Ludwig, he felt cheated. He became determined to claim his throne, and the Ancestresses helped him. Travelling to Domino, he spent many years inciting anger against his brother, King Oritel."</p><p><em>Oritel</em>, thought Tecna, her head spinning. <em>Why does that name sound familiar?</em> Digit gasped in amazement and horror.</p><p>"That's Bloom's birth father!" she hissed.</p><p>"So Basan staged a coup on King Oritel. His charisma and charm convinced many peasants, and even a few nobles, that his brother was weak and useless. It didn't hurt that he promised many gifts to better the peasants' lives. He also had magic, which Oritel had never had. With their help, he was able to storm the Palace of Domino."</p><p>Every girl that wasn't already staring at Bloom was staring at her now.</p><p>"A bitter and bloody war ensued. The Civil War of Domino, from Year 922-940, was one of the longest and deadliest wars Domino had ever seen. Basan was defeated, but at a high price; Oritel had lost six hundred thousand men, as well as the faith of his people."</p><p><em>That's nearly a third of the kingdom</em>, Tecna realized. Before eternal winter had set upon Domino, the population count had been about two million; it had been one of the largest, most thriving realms in the dimension. <em>No wonder Domino lost to the Ancestresses so easily!</em></p><p>Now she thought she remembered studying the Dominian Civil War. They had talked about Basan, and how he'd almost destroyed the realm. However, no one ever told them that Basan had the Dragon Flame, or that he was connected to the monarchy. <em>No wonder he's so angry…</em></p><p>"Fifty-five years later," Faragonda continued, "The Ancestresses broke Basan out of prison. They were angry with him for failing, and sent him on their next mission. He no longer wanted to rule the kingdom; instead, he sought to destroy the nation his brother had worked so hard to build. This time, they were successful, and although Oritel banished his half-brother to Omega, the Ancestresses finished the job, at the cost of their lives.</p><p>"I was one of the warriors who aided Oritel and his wife, Marion, to defend the kingdom. I was part of the Company of Light, an elite task-force of seven warriors formed by the UR. Although there are records of Basan's incarceration, there are no records of this man called Valtor; he assumed this name after breaking out of Omega not too long ago. My only regret is that I lived to see the realm's destruction. But I promise you, girls, that I will defend this school with my last breath." Her eyes flashed. "I need you to promise me, in turn, that you will not go out of your way to fight with Valtor." For a moment, her eyes rested briefly on Bloom, and then the other Winx girls. "Promise me you will not put yourselves in danger."</p><p>"We promise, Ms. Faragonda," two hundred girls said in unison.</p><p>"Good," Faragonda nodded grimly. "This is one of the worst threats the Magical Dimension has ever seen. I commend the teachers and seniors who worked together to re-construct the magical barrier. I shall add some of my own power to it, and under my watch, nothing or no one else will penetrate through." She let out a long, heavy sigh, one with the weight of a thousand realms. "You girls are dismissed."</p><p>Everyone left the quad, exclaiming to each other in loud voices. Tecna stayed rooted, staring up at the headmistress in disbelief. <em>She can't have... Oh, how is this happening...</em> She turned around and saw that Stella was standing with Bloom, an arm around her shoulder.</p><p>"I can't believe this," Bloom said confusedly. "Valtor – he's my half-uncle?"</p><p>"Seems like it," Musa said grimly, joining them.</p><p>"Don't worry, we're going to fight him," Stella declared. "We're not letting this bitter rothead get my Bloom. You with me, Winx?"</p><p>"Yes!" said all the girls. Tecna silently echoed with them, not having the energy to say anything more.</p><p>"Hang on a second, we're missing someone," Flora said suddenly. "Where's Layla?"</p><p>"She's still with her parents," Musa answered. "But I thought she should've been back by n" –</p><p>As if on cue, Layla ran through the gates, crying. The girl's hair was everywhere, and tears were streaming down her face.</p><p>"Layla!" gasped Flora. "What happened?"</p><p>"It's... it's just"... Layla sobbed, trying to regain her composure. Musa held her as she sobbed, letting it out. "My parents have this tradition on Andros, but I didn't think they'd enforce it."</p><p>"What is it?" asked Tecna, a bad feeling settling in her gut.</p><p>"I’m coming of age next week,” Layla cried. “They've picked out the man they want me to marry."</p><p>"Who?" Stella exclaimed.</p><p>"He's from a very wealthy family on the island of Hosseini," Layla wept. "A fairy-being. I don't know anything about him, except that his name is Nabu and my life is completely ruined."</p><p>Layla continued to sob, her cries piercing the air. All Tecna could do was stare, feeling more and more hopeless as she watched her friend cry.</p><p>***</p><p>If Tecna had to marry a man she didn't love, how would she react? How torn would she be, as if she could never accept or know herself?</p><p>If anyone had asked this to Tecna two years ago, she would have said it was commonplace. After all, the very notion of love where she came from was ridiculous. People married for logical reasons, such as wealth and attractiveness. And Tecna would someday marry a faceless stranger on Zenith, if nothing else, for the sake of procreation.</p><p>But now Tecna felt very much differently. She knew a lifetime without Timmy would be a lifetime of stabbing her own heart out. She could barely imagine the pain Layla was going through at having to marry a man she didn't love.</p><p>Of course, it was not like love was such an intrinsic quality for Tecna. In fact, it was fairly new for her to even consider it a possibility, an important part of life. After all, it had been only a few months ago that Tecna and Timmy hadn't even been dating; in fact, they had been as far apart from one another as could be…</p><p>She still remembered that day last summer, when Bloom, Stella, Layla, and Musa had gone to Earth for a weekend. Flora and Tecna had elected to stay on campus, and Flora had joined Tecna in her room. Flora was having problems with her phone, so she showed it to Tecna.</p><p>"I don't understand," she said. "I have this so I can connect with Mirta instantly if she has any problem. But it's not working."</p><p>"Let me see." Tecna picked up the phone and opened it. "What's the problem?"</p><p>"I can't connect with Mirta's cell," Flora answered. "I don't understand why. She called me a few nights ago to talk, but I didn't even know until I went to the hospital to visit her."</p><p>Tecna frowned as she gazed at the phone. <em>Faulty connections… </em>She opened Settings and clicked on 'Connections'. Suddenly, it occurred to her.</p><p>"You need to reroute your connector," she said. "It's not working properly. If you fix that, then you'll be able to receive calls at any time."</p><p>"Can you fix it for me, Tec?" Flora asked. "Please? If it's not too much" –</p><p>Tecna was already tapping on the phone. "Here." She found the coding dialog, typed in some lines, and then handed it back to Flora. "Bingo."</p><p>"Tecna, thanks so much!" Flora squealed. "You're the best."</p><p>"I'm not really," Tecna said, her cheeks heating. "I mean, I'm great with computers and all, but I still don't understand this emotional stuff you guys keep talking about."</p><p>"I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, Tecna," Flora said. "You're so much more laid-back than you were last year. It's been really fun hanging out with you."</p><p>"I hope," Tecna said moodily. She gazed out the window.</p><p>"Tecna, what's wrong?"</p><p>The pink-haired fairy turned to her friend, who was staring at her with concern in her eyes.</p><p>"Nothing," she said, attempting a small smile. "It's just… Timmy gets on my nerves sometimes."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Flora sat down on her bed, and patted the spot next to her. "Come sit next to me."</p><p>Awkwardly, Tecna stood up and sat next to Flora. She'd never sat on someone else's bed; back in Zenith, it was just considered rude. But she saw the other girls do it all the time, though it'd taken her a while to accept that this was a norm between close friends.</p><p>"He only talks about computers," she confessed. "Every time we meet together, we keep talking about different OS systems, phones, and computers. It's aggravating, and I don't know why" –</p><p>"I get it," Flora said. "You want him to speak to you like a girlfriend, not like a robot."</p><p>Tecna stared at Flora. "What? That's absurd! I don't think of him like"… She sighed, gazing down at her feet. "Okay, I suppose I do."</p><p>"Of course you have feelings for him," Flora said. "You two are compatible in so many ways. You'd be perfect for one another."</p><p>"But I can't have a boyfriend!" Tecna cried out. "My parents would be furious. The only reason they let me come to Alfea is because it's a girls' college. It's not proper, Flora, to <em>date </em>anyone!"</p><p>"What do you mean?" Flora stared at her in confusion.</p><p>"Zenithians don't date," Tecna answered. "Our parents choose who we are to marry, based off of wealth and compatibility. We don't fall in <em>love</em>."</p><p>"And yet, you clearly have," Flora pointed out. "Don't you see, Tecna? If you live life the way everyone tells you to, you'll be miserable."</p><p>Tecna <em>did </em>see. She could imagine a life without Timmy, a life without love, and it was too painful. She sighed, lowering her head. "But then what do I do?"</p><p>"Don't tell your parents anything," Flora advised. "I can't imagine why they wouldn't love you for who you are, but… if you're not comfortable having them know, then don't let them. You shouldn't get in trouble."</p><p>"Okay," Tecna sighed. "But then what do I do about Timmy? He's so infuriating! He won't talk about me like he cares about me – he only sees me as another one of his computers. He's a coward, that's all it is! He won't even treat me like" –</p><p>"Have you ever thought that you might be projecting your own nervousness onto Timmy?"</p><p>Tecna stared at Flora. "Nervous? That's absurd! I'm not"… She searched her computerized brain for a definition of nervousness.</p><p>NERVOUS, her computer read. EASILY AGITATED OR ALARMED; TENDING TO BE ANXIOUS; HIGHLY STRUNG.</p><p>"No," she declared to Flora, who was sitting patiently next to her. "I'm not nervous."</p><p>"Then what's stopping you from asking Timmy out?" asked Flora. "Tell him you like him. If you're not nervous, then you can take the first step."</p><p>"But"… <em>How can I do that if my parents won't allow me to have a boyfriend in the first place?</em></p><p>"Tecna, I think you're really frustrated right now," Flora said. "You're rebelling against the restrictions of your realm, but at the same time, you find it hard to let go. And then you're also angry with Timmy for not taking the first step because <em>you </em>can't; therefore, you label him as a coward. That's why you're having so much trouble."</p><p><em>That makes more sense</em>, Tecna thought. <em>It's almost… logical. I didn't think of things that way. </em>She stared at Flora.</p><p>"How are you so good at this stuff?"</p><p>"I don't know," Flora smiled. "How are you so good with computers? That's just who you are, Tecna. So? Are you going to ask him out?"</p><p>"No," Tecna said, getting up and walking to the window.</p><p>"What?" Flora asked, sounding startled.</p><p>"I can't," Tecna said. Her voice had changed, and she stared frostily out the window. "My studies come first, and so does saving Magix. I can't let Timmy get in my way."</p><p>And that's what she'd convinced herself, all the way up to the Resort Realm. That time had been a turning point for her, one where she'd finally learned to let go.</p><p><em>And yet, I still don't feel happy</em>, Tecna thought. <em>I still don't feel empowered, or strong, or brave. Why can't I do this?</em></p><p>“Tecna!”</p><p>Tecna shot open her eyes. Bloom was standing in front of her, a smile on her face. “Do you remember what day it is?” she asked cheerfully.</p><p>Tecna frowned, looking in her digital calendar. “Octomensis 15?”</p><p>“Layla’s birthday!” Stella shouted. “Come on, let’s go cheer her up!”</p><p>***</p><p>To celebrate, the girls went out to the beach, the sun shining brilliantly on them. Tecna had tried to smile as they swam, sat, and talked together, but she truly wasn't in the mood. The brightness of the sun kept bothering her eyes, after weeks of staying indoors for so long. <em>Plus the heat is going to make me sweat all over my rusty joints… </em>She sighed, feeling miserable.</p><p>She didn't seem like the only one, though. Layla was happy to be celebrating her birthday, but very nervous about the prospect of marrying someone she clearly didn't want to be with. <em>So much for cheering her up.</em></p><p>"I'm definitely calling this marriage off," she told the other girls.</p><p>"Well, you should try him out first," Bloom suggested. "If you really don't want to be with him, your parents can't force you."</p><p><em>Wow, looks like </em>someone’s<em> naïve</em>, Tecna thought, holding in a snort. <em>She has no choice. She might as well surrender her autonomy right now! </em>Bitterness overtook her, and she slammed her spoon into her half-melted ice-cream. On the other side of the table, she saw Flora cast her a worried look.</p><p>"He may be a nice guy," Layla said, "but that's not the point. I don't want to get <em>married </em>so soon! This is ridiculous!"</p><p>"I'll talk to your parents," Stella suggested, "and check out the boy myself."</p><p>"No thanks, Stell." Layla looked at Musa. "What do you think?"</p><p>“Honestly, I don’t know,” Musa frowned. “You’re in a mind-slappin’ situation right there, Lay. Just like the one on Melody.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “I can’t go back home for break.”</p><p>“Musa, I’m so sorry,” gasped Layla. “How bad is the situation?”</p><p>“It’s taken interrealm media attention,” Musa answered. “Apparently the portal’s become something like a tornado, sending violent winds and destroying houses in the area. Some people have been injured from contact with it. The news-crews are tryin’ ta enter, but the Melodian government has banned them. Even UR Defense forces have been banned from entry, now that two hooligan criminals snuck onto a ship and are jammin’ up Summa. It’s gotten so bad that a radical sect has gained traction, claiming that we should relocate to another planet.”</p><p>“<em>What</em>?” Bloom gasped.</p><p><em>Good luck with that</em>, Tecna thought, wincing as the heat burned her arms. <em>I’m gonna have sunburn now… </em>She lowered her head, wishing she cared more for the Melodian situation at hand. But she was unable to concentrate, with all the heat and sweat over her metal joints.</p><p>“Well, the Realm of Melody owns a few planets in the same galaxy, so it wouldn’t be too hard,” Musa answered. “They have very harsh environments, but with the right potions and spells, they could make it work – somehow. It’s not going to happen, though. Nobody wants ta leave Melody. But the king’s got real ’tude, that’s for sure. I spoke ta Galatea, and even she doesn’t know why things are like this.”</p><p>“Do you think something’s going on with that portal?” Flora asked urgently. “Something so sinister, they can’t tell anyone?”</p><p>“I was kinda hopin’ ya wouldn’t say that,” Musa answered. “But I’m sure it’s not that bad.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Stella agreed. “It’s not like that portal’s gonna blow up the whole realm, right?”</p><p>“Are you joking right now, Stell?” Musa groaned, putting her face in her hands.</p><p>“What do you think, Tecna?” Bloom asked. “You’ve been silent all this time, but you’re always up-to-date on the news. What do you think’s going to happen?”</p><p>Tecna gazed down at her ice-cream. It had now completely melted in the sun’s gaze, and was completely inedible. "I don't know."</p><p>After eating <em>tarikh baskuit</em>, a kind of Androsian cookie with dried fruits and nuts, Flora pulled Tecna aside.</p><p>"Tecna, we're really worried about you," she said. "You haven’t eaten much, and you barely talked while we were on the beach. Are you okay?"</p><p>"I'm <em>fine</em>," Tecna insisted. Why did everyone insist on asking her that question?</p><p>"No, you're not," Flora said. "What's going on?"</p><p>Tecna racked her brain, trying to think of an excuse. She thought of all the work she had to do for Vasiliev.</p><p>"Avalon gave a lot of work," she finally said. "That's all it is. I have a lot of work from Palladium, too."</p><p>Flora nodded, though Tecna could tell that Flora knew she was lying. She let out a sigh.</p><p>Another few weeks passed. Tecna continued working on her sets, pushing herself even farther with her skills. <em>Apply yourself… </em>The same words Avalon had used pushed her to work harder on Vasiliev's work.</p><p>She could no longer hide the black circles around her eyes, but she didn't care to. She'd learned to cast an illusion spell so that it looked as if she was sleeping, when in reality, she was doing her work under the covers. It was fooling Musa for now, but she didn't know how long it would work.</p><p>She closed her eyes. <em>I can't think about this… please, let me survive. </em>She sighed.</p><p>
  <em>Please, let me get through this week…</em>
</p><p>***</p><p>Unfortunately, Tecna was not going to get through the week. In fact, things were spiraling further and further down, more and more out of her control.</p><p>The second of Novemensis arrived, which meant finals. Enchantix fairies were excused from them – meaning, all the Winx but Bloom and Tecna. There were about ten girls in their class so far who'd gotten their Enchantixes, and were therefore exempt. The forty of them remaining groused about not being exempt and stood in line, waiting for their room assignments to commence. They would be in this room for the rest of exam week, and would get their results promptly by Sunday.</p><p>"Surnames A to F, you're with Professor Patel," Griselda called. "G to K, you're with Professor Avalon. L to O, you're with Professor DuFour. And P to Z, you're with Professor Palladium."</p><p><em>Just my luck I had to end up with </em>him, thought Tecna as Avalon ushered them into the room. Bloom gave her a thumbs-up while following Palladium, which she returned halfheartedly.</p><p>All that week, she was in a state of panic. She guessed on half the written portion for Palladium's class and all for Wizkiz. The Internet, as always, was shut down during exam-week. Her mind was abuzz the entire time, overflowing with confusion, then anxiety, then terror.</p><p><em>I must pass</em>, she thought feverishly, scribbling on the paper. <em>I MUST. I cannot fail. Focus, Tecna, focus!</em> But no matter how hard she tried, her mind went blank, and more often than not, she collapsed on the desk.</p><p>Then came the practical part. It was administered in all four of Tecna's classes, and proctored by each respective teacher. Girls stood in alphabetical order, waiting for their names to be called. The other girls spoke to each other feverishly, panicking about the exam.</p><p>"I'm gonna fail."</p><p>"I swear I haven't studied enough."</p><p>"I'm not going to graduate."</p><p>"Oh, why didn't I study plant transformations harder?"</p><p><em>SHUT UP!</em> A storm was brewing in Tecna's mind. <em>I don't want to hear about it! You're making it worse!</em> She glared at the girls, but they took no notice; they were all too worried about themselves.</p><p>She was unable to transform into a lily when Wizkiz asked her to. Palladium asked her to duel a foe tailored specially for her; she was slammed unceremoniously into the wall. She was also unable to merge two sticks into the same entity, something she would've been able to do before.</p><p>But the worst performance, by far, was in Avalon's exam.</p><p>It was Friday, Novemensis 13, the last day of exams. It was mainly for all the students taking electives; therefore, many of the others were gone by now. He had her sit down in a mat, and sat down next to her, directing her to look into a crystal ball. "Reach into the recesses of your mind. I want you to perform a hypnosis spell, one which will require great attention and calm. Empty your mind."</p><p>But Tecna couldn't empty her mind. She stared at the crystal ball, her head whirling with tasks she had to do. <em>Reach my six-hundred-thousandth set. Go out to lunch with Bloom. Reach my six-hundred-thousandth set. Do a makeover with Stella. Reach my six-hundred-thousandth set. Meet Palladium for extra coaching. Reach my six-hundred-thousandth set...</em></p><p>Something black obscured her vision, starting as a dot in front of her, then expanding all across her view. Then her neural networks buzzed, and she yelled in pain. The electricity was consuming her, eating her alive...</p><p>She woke up again in the infirmary, breathless and exhausted. Nurse Ofelia was standing over her, hands on her hips.</p><p>"What have you been doing, young lady?"</p><p>"I" – Tecna stared at her. <em>What happened? Why am I here?</em></p><p>"You've been working too hard," Ofelia said severely. "This is what happens when you don't pace yourself! You haven't given yourself rest at all!"</p><p>"That's not true!" Tecna cried. "I haven't studied at all!"</p><p>"Indeed." Faragonda stood in the doorway, looking unusually grave. "You failed all of your exams, Tecna. Your highest score was a 38% in Magical Connections and the lowest a 4% in Magiphilosophy. This was with both the written portion and practical part combined." Her gaze skewered the girl lying on the bed. "Do you understand what this means?"</p><p>Nurse Ofelia blocked Faragonda, her eyes flashing. "The girl needs rest now, Faragonda, not more stress! You can talk to her about exams later!"</p><p>"This cannot wait," said Faragonda severely. "Normally, I would agree, but with Valtor on the rise, the situation is much more grave. Tecna, listen to me."</p><p>Tecna unwillingly met the headmistress's eyes.</p><p>"You have always been a good student. In the few classes I've had you, you've been a pleasure to teach, innovative and a skilled learner. This year, everything has taken a turn for you, and you've been on a downward slide from day one. Therefore, I ask you: what is going on in your life that is preventing you from applying yourself?"</p><p><em>The same question Avalon and Palladium asked me</em>, Tecna thought. She stared up at Headmistress Faragonda.</p><p>"I cannot say."</p><p>"Then you will remain on campus for the rest of the year," said Faragonda. "You will not leave for any reason, not until you tell me what's going on. You are on academic probation until your grades come up."</p><p>Tecna couldn't answer, couldn't even muster any feeling at this. The truth was, she was beyond caring at this point. <em>Nothing really matters anymore... </em>Faragonda left the room, leaving Nurse Ofelia to force Sleeping Potion down Tecna's resisting mouth. She eventually gave way, allowing the potion to force her into a dreamless sleep.</p><p>***</p><p>"Tecna!"</p><p>The pink-haired girl jumped as Digit flew into her arms. She stared tiredly at the pixie, too exhausted to even shoo her away.</p><p>She had just been discharged from the infirmary, on Ofelia's severe warning that she'd better rest and eat well from now on. <em>Not going to happen...</em> Digit stared up at her, her voice a squeak as she spoke.</p><p>"You know, I think you should tell Ms. Faragonda everything."</p><p>Tecna stared at Digit in horror. All she could say was, "What?"</p><p>"Tecna, she'll understand," Digit answered. "She'll understand that you're a cyborg, and that you have some work to do for Mr. Vasiliev's company. That's all it is, right?"</p><p>Tecna grimaced. Although Digit knew that Tecna worked for a man in Zenith and had computer wiring, she didn't know about the threats she was constantly hoarded with under his guardianship. Or about what he'd done to her. She shuddered at the memory, purposefully keeping her face blank. <em>I can't, I can't...</em></p><p>"Tecna?" Digit was staring at her. "What do you think?"</p><p>"Digit, this is completely illogical," Tecna said. "First of all, if Faragonda finds I'm a cyborg, she'll expel me from Alfea. There's a reason why we've been keeping it a secret, and it's because cyborgs aren't allowed at UR defense schools." <em>Barely any school will accept us, because our computerized brains give us an advantage over everyone. Supposedly.</em></p><p>"So?" Digit asked. "Faragonda won't care. Besides, she can't expel you now, not after you've proven yourself so many times!"</p><p>"Digit, the answer is no!" Tecna snapped, rage building up in her. "You are so naïve! I'm not going to jeopardize myself just because" –</p><p>The sound of a door slamming open made her shut her mouth, and she turned around and stared. Flora was walking into the room, followed by Layla, Musa, and Stella.</p><p>"We heard voices yelling," Musa said uncertainly. "Um… Tec, are you okay?"</p><p>Flora walked forward and took Tecna's hands. "Sweetie, what happened? Faragonda said you were in the infirmary. We tried to come in but Nurse Ofelia wouldn't let us, because you were sleeping."</p><p>"What'd you do?" demanded Layla.</p><p>Tecna looked up hopelessly at her friends. "I failed my exams," she said.</p><p>"And?" Stella prompted her.</p><p>"I'm not allowed to leave campus."</p><p>Silence. Every girl stared at Tecna, at a loss for words.</p><p>"So, what are you going to do?" Layla asked finally.</p><p>"I have to work harder," Tecna answered. She could feel the stares of the girls on her face. "I need to get my degree. There's no other way."</p><p>"But you work too hard!" Stella exclaimed. "Seriously, girl, you need to just chill and sit back for once. If I worked this hard, I'd" –</p><p>"No," Tecna cut her off. "I have to do this."</p><p>"Enough is enough." Musa glared at her. "You're killing yourself, Tec. Ya bonkers, doing all this for Symphonia-knows-what-reason. Ya need ta stop, or else we'll" –</p><p>"Stay out of this!" Tecna fired; Musa took a step back, alarmed by her tone. "It's none of your business, all of you! Stay out of this, or else I'll" –</p><p>Bloom burst into the room. Tecna stopped herself as she saw Bloom's red hair over her face; she was clearly crying. Flora walked up to her roommate and stared at her. "Sweetie, what's happened to you?"</p><p>"Ms. Faragonda just told me everything," Bloom sniffed. "It - it's horrible."</p><p>"What happened?" Stella demanded, sitting her friend down.</p><p>"She told me more about Valtor," Bloom sobbed. "He's more than just my uncle – he's one of the deadliest enemies the Company of Light ever faced. And... he – he" – She put her hands over her face.</p><p>"Go on," said Layla gently.</p><p>"He's going to come after me," Bloom cried. "We're mortal enemies. And – I won't be able to fight him, girls. I'll never get my Enchantix! The entire Magical Dimension is going to fall, and it'll be all my fault!"</p><p>"So what?" Tecna snapped suddenly. "So what if you don't defeat him? He's going to win anyways! And it doesn't matter whether it's you or someone else."</p><p>Musa turned around slowly. "Have you gone insane?"</p><p>"Maybe I have," Tecna snarled, "because I am sick of hearing about everyone's problems! First you with your stupid arranged marriage" – she pointed to Layla – "then you with your precious Domino!"</p><p>"I don't know what's with you!" Bloom grounded her teeth in fury. "You're being totally unsupportive right now, Tecna!"</p><p>"Yeah," Stella added. "And that's totally not cool. Friends don't diss friends like that."</p><p>"Maybe you should all just stop loading your emotional baggage on everyone!" Tecna snapped back. "I may have problems, but I don't load them on people!"</p><p>"Aha!" said Musa suddenly. "So there <em>is</em> a problem!"</p><p>Tecna said nothing. All she did was get up and slam the door to her room, throwing herself facedown on her bed. But the accusing glares of her friends burned into her head all night, and she just couldn't do sets for Vasiliev. She was asleep by the time Musa opened the door.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next pair of chapters:<br/>–	Flora tries to console Tecna.<br/>–	An important Linphean holiday arrives.<br/>–	The girls receive drastic news about Melody.<br/>–	Tecna goes out to visit Vasiliev.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Semester 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Alfea College for Fairies</em>
</p><p>
  <strong> <span class="u">SEMESTER II</span> </strong>
</p><p>1012-13 Academic Year</p><p>
  <span class="u">Departments of Curricula:</span>
</p><p>     Practical Magic (PM) – classes focusing on spells. Head: Professor Palladium</p><p>     Defense Magic (DM) – classes focusing on battle. Head: Professor Griselda</p><p>     Physical Magic (FM) – classes focusing on maneuvers. Head: Professor DuFour</p><p>     Creative Magic (CM) – classes focusing on creating potions or art. Head: Professor Chika</p><p>     Theoretical Magic (TM) – classes focusing on history/philosophy. Head: Professor Patel</p><p>     Applied Magic (AM) – classes such as convergence or healing. Head: Professor Aditi</p><p>
  <span class="u">Graduation-Requirements:</span>
</p><p>            All students are required to take four classes per semester. Freshmen must take a semester of Spellbound and Aeroflynamics, and sophomores must take a semester of Convergence. Each class is 5 credits.</p><p>            To graduate, a student must have at least 10 credits each in all departments and at least 5 credits in Spellbound, Aeroflynamics, and Convergence. There must be a minimum of 120 class-credits to graduate.</p><p>            In addition, there are three components, one component corresponding to each year: Courage, Character, and Sacrifice. Each category is worth 10 points, and students will be ranked based off of how well they demonstrated each virtue.</p><p>            In total, 135 credits are needed to graduate.</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Andros, Layla Amina Fatima</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Kingdom of Andros</p><p><em>     Chika</em> – Enchanted Charms (PM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 14:00-15:30</p><p><em>     Codatorta </em>– *Introductory Dueling (RF) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 10:00-11:30</p><p><em>     Griselda </em>– Advanced Battle Convergence (DM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 8:00-9:30</p><p><em>     Patel</em> – Advanced History of Magic (TM) – Tues &amp; Thurs; 17:00-19:00</p><p>
  <em>    *Note: class offered by Red Fountain.</em>
</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Fernández, Flora</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Queendom of Linphea</p><p><em>     Aditi</em> – Nature Spells (AM) – Tues, Thurs, Fri; 8:00-9:30</p><p><em>     DuFour </em>– Advanced Aeroflynamics (FM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 12:30-14:00</p><p><em>     Griselda </em>– Advanced Battle Convergence (DM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 8:00-9:30</p><p><em>     Patel</em> – Advanced History of Magic (TM) – Tues &amp; Thurs; 17:00-19:00</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Ivanova, Anastasia Marie</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The People’s Republic of Zenith</p><p><em>     Chika </em>– Advanced Potions (CM) – Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30</p><p><em>     Chika</em> – Enchanted Charms (PM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 14:00-15:30</p><p><em>     DuFour </em>– Advanced Aeroflynamics (FM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 12:30-14:00</p><p><em>     Griselda </em>– Advanced Battle Convergence (DM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 8:00-9:30</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Nakamura, Mirta Fujin</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 1</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Warlocks’ Realm of Whisperia</p><p><em>     Krishnan</em> – *Aviation (RF) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 10:00-11:30</p><p><em>     Palladium </em>– Introductory Battle (DM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 8:00-9:30</p><p><em>     Patel </em>– **Advanced Astronomy (TM) – Tues &amp; Thurs; 20:00-22:00</p><p><em>     Wizkiz </em>– Introductory Metamorphosis (AM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 15:30-17:00</p><p>
  <em>    *Note: class offered by Red Fountain</em>
</p><p>
  <em>    **Note: placed out of Introductory and Intermediate Astronomy.</em>
</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Peters, Bloom</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> Earth</p><p><em>     Chika </em>– Advanced Potions (CM) – Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30</p><p><em>     Codatorta – </em>*Dragon Wrangling (RF) – Tues, Thurs, Sat; 8:00-9:30</p><p><em>     DuFour </em>– Advanced Aeroflynamics (FM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 12:30-14:00</p><p><em>     Griselda </em>– Advanced Battle Convergence (DM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 8:00-9:30</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Solaria, Stella Lucia Calisto</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Kingdom of Solaria</p><p><em>     Barbatea </em>– Magic in Art (CM) – Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30</p><p><em>     Chika</em> – Enchanted Charms (PM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 14:00-15:30</p><p><em>     Griselda </em>– Advanced Battle Convergence (DM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 8:00-9:30</p><p><em>     Patel</em> – Advanced History of Magic (TM) – Tues &amp; Thurs; 17:00-19:00</p><p><strong>Name:</strong> Xi, Musa Lei</p><p><strong>Year:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Realm:</strong> The Realm of Melody</p><p><em>     Agarwal </em>– *Introductory Hoverbiking (RF) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 10:30-12:00</p><p><em>     Chika </em>– Advanced Potions (CM) – Tues, Thurs, Sat; 11:00-12:30</p><p><em>     DuFour </em>– Advanced Aeroflynamics (FM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 12:30-14:00</p><p><em>     Griselda </em>– Advanced Battle Convergence (DM) – Mon, Wed, Fri; 8:00-9:30</p><p>
  <em>    *Note: class offered by Red Fountain.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. El Día del Amor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Previously on AUP…<br/>	A sudden rumble made everyone stop in their tracks. King Radius stared at everyone, his eyes wide.<br/>	Then rain began to fall.<br/>	Stella's dress burst open at the seams. Her skin color changed from tan to green, and she let out an agonizing yell.<br/>	"My daughter!" cried King Radius, reeling in pain. "What is going on?"<br/>	Countess Cassandra stepped up and glared down at Stella.<br/>	"This is not your daughter," she announced. "Guards, take it into custody immediately!"<br/>***<br/>"Look, Professor, all we want to do is defend our school," Flora said weakly. "We need to know what's going on."<br/>"I can’t let you," Avalon answered. "These aren't my rules."<br/>"But don't you remember being trapped in Shadowhaunt?" Flora pressed on. "Didn’t you feel helpless, as if you couldn't do anything? Well, that's how we feel right now. We need to save Alfea!"<br/>Something in Avalon's gaze shifted. He stared at her, and she held his gaze firm. He finally nodded.<br/>"Alright, I will tell you," he said. "I believe you are more mature than the other girls. But I don't want you telling anyone else.”<br/>***<br/>Bloom looked at the Teen Fairy questionnaire. "Er, this question is really weird" –<br/>"What is it?" Musa asked.<br/>"If you were alone with a really pretty girl and she said she like liked you, would you a) start to sweat nervously, b) reciprocate her feelings, or c) run out the room?"<br/>For a moment, there was silence. Flora stared around awkwardly, and the other girls looked startled.<br/>Finally, Stella spoke. "Um… 'c' all the way? How awkward is that?"<br/>"It's not that weird," Musa said. "There're gay men in my hometown. Although, in that situation… I'd definitely vote 'a'."<br/>"My parents have gay friends," Bloom said. "But I'm with Musa on this. It'd be totally weird if another girl had the hots for me."<br/>"It's just… wrong." Layla sat down, her arms crossed. "About a few centuries ago, there was a prince in the Androsian royal family who announced on interrealm television that he was gonna marry another man. Let's just say it didn't go well. Why would anyone have feelings for someone of the same gender?"<br/>"How weird would it be if someone was like that at Alfea?" Stella asked.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"It's pleasant out here, isn't it?" Flora's mother asked her as they sat down on the porch steps.</p><p>It was now fall break. After exams, students received a break from school, going home to spend time with their families. Musa had gone to Andros with Layla, making up for their missed time together in the spring. It was usually four weeks, but the schools had decided to change it to only two weeks, so that Alfea and Red Fountain would start their second semester earlier. Cloud Tower was still under Valtor's control, and though the UR was trying to free the witches, they hadn't succeeded.</p><p>Flora sighed. A few weeks before, the UR had managed to free some of the witches from Cloud Tower, with Lucy's help – they'd all been sent home. But most of the girls were still trapped in the school. Their parents were fighting, saying that the UR wasn't doing enough to free their daughters, simply because they were witches. If Alfea or Red Fountain had come under the same siege, they reasoned, the students would be freed in seconds.</p><p>"Flora, what's going on?" her mother asked in concern.</p><p>"Sorry, Mamá," Flora responded. "I'm just worried about a lot of things. The safety of the Magical Dimension is at stake. And we're facing a lot of trouble at Alfea as well. What are we going to do?"</p><p>Her mother reached for her hand.</p><p>"I know it's hard, Flora," she said, "but you will be able to prevail. I believe that everything happens for a reason. They chose you for that school because they knew you'd be able to help the world, and you already have. Have faith in yourself. Just trust that, no matter what, you <em>will </em>defeat Valtor."</p><p>"Okay," Flora said uncertainly, only slightly soothed. Mamá sighed.</p><p>"I am a priestess," she said, "and there is only so much I can tell you, Flora. But I believe in you. Just trust in your friends, your teachers, and your school. You will get through this."</p><p><em>I don't know</em>, Flora thought. The truth was, she was too worried about her friends to be able to trust in them. <em>We'll have to get through this. </em>She leaned heavily back against the steps.</p><p>They sat silently together, the breeze rustling past the Linphean trees. The cool wind soothed Flora's heart, and she closed her eyes, allowing her mother's wisdom to seep in. The birds chirped gently, a soothing lullaby to Flora's fears.</p><p>What Flora didn't know was that this break would be the last time she saw her family in a long time. Her troubles weren't ending – in fact, they were only about to begin.</p><p>***</p><p>The second semester started amicably enough, autumn well on its way. The Winx girls returned back to Alfea, spending every weekend enjoying the cooler weather. That was, the weekends they could. Enchantix training was much more intense than Winx or Charmix, and Flora struggled initially to master the moves Faragonda taught her.</p><p>Before their dismissal home, Faragonda had announced that they were opening classes for Alfea sophomores and seniors at Red Fountain. The girls could take a course in Dueling, Dragon Wrangling, Hoverbiking, or Aviation. The girls observed the class-lists with interest.</p><p>"Kicking a boy's butt with a sword would be totally fun," Layla said, signing up for Dueling.</p><p>"I've always wondered how it'd be to ride that Hoverbike," added Musa.</p><p>"I'd love to fly those spaceships on missions," Mirta grinned.</p><p>"And I'd really like to take a class in taming dragons!" Bloom said cheerfully. "It'd probably get me more in-tune with my powers. I mean, I am the fairy of the Dragon Fire, after all."</p><p>Flora had no time to take these classes; since she was the last fairy of the first semester to join Enchantix training, she was struggling to catch up with her friends. Stella claimed she would lose time with her snookums, but Flora knew that was only part of the reason why. Stella needed to focus solely on her Alfea coursework so she could graduate. Although she'd passed her final exam by gaining her Enchantix, Alfea seniors still needed to get a passing score in each of their classes to graduate.</p><p>But no one was in more jeopardy than Tecna. She was banned from leaving campus, and was under academic probation in all of her classes. Obviously this meant she couldn't take a Red Fountain class, but that was the least of her problems. Flora was the only Winx girl she would even talk to.</p><p>"Here," she had said, passing Tecna some herbal tea, "drink it."</p><p>Tecna said nothing, though a glimmer of gratitude shined in her face. She lay down on her bed, a dull ache in her eyes. Heart filled with sorrow, Flora sat down next to her best friend.</p><p>"I wish you would tell us what's going on," she said softly.</p><p>"I can't," Tecna whispered. Her naturally white face was even paler than normal. "If I could, Flora, I would. But it's just too much."</p><p>"Then let it out," Flora insisted.</p><p>"No," Tecna said weakly. That was all she said. She turned around in the bed, closing her eyes, and Flora could press the issue no further.</p><p>She left Tecna's room, sighing as she walked to her dorm. And then her phone rang. She picked it up, and Mirta's face appeared as a hologram above the screen.</p><p>"Mirta!" Flora breathed. They hadn't seen much of each other lately; what with Flora's Enchantix training and Mirta's Aviation class at Red Fountain, there had been no time to go out together.</p><p>"Do you remember what day it is today?"</p><p>"What is it?" Flora rubbed her eyes, trying to remember. <em>What with everything going on...</em></p><p>"<em>Día del Amor</em>!"</p><p>Flora shot her head up. Today was a special Linphean holiday that fell in the autumn, celebrated by couples who professed their love to one another. It always fell on the first Thursday of Decemensis. She gasped out loud.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, I totally forgot!"</p><p>"Not to worry!" Mirta grinned. "Just meet me at the grove near Lake Roccaluce."</p><p>"What for?" Flora asked.</p><p>"I've got a surprise for you."</p><p>***</p><p>The winds rustled as Flora made her way through the quad. She wore a short, sprigged rose-and-buttercup dress with yellow autumn leaves in her hair. Her feet were bare as she walked into the forest, laughing at the soft, squishy feel of the earth beneath her.</p><p><em>This is beautiful</em>, she thought. A quiet, relaxed day with her girlfriend. Linphèana knew she needed one, especially after all that had happened.</p><p>She reached the grove, which was empty. <em>Guess Mirta hasn't arrived here yet.</em> She sat down on the grass, leaning back and stretching contentedly.</p><p>And then she froze as she heard a voice.</p><p>Flora sat up, grass sticking onto her skirt. She dusted herself quickly, standing up - but not fast enough. Bloom, Stella, Musa, and Layla appeared, and stopped as soon as they saw her standing there awkwardly, staring in surprise.</p><p>"Hey, Flo, where'd ya come from?" Musa asked.</p><p><em>Where'd </em>you<em> come from?</em> Flora thought, her mind racing. <em>This wasn't supposed to happen. Mirta and I are supposed to spend time by ourselves!</em></p><p>"Hey, what's with the dress?" Stella had caught Flora's dress, and was admiring the cut and the shape.</p><p>Flora shrank back, but Stella was in no rush. She laughed triumphantly.</p><p>"I knew it!" she laughed. "You're finally going out with a boy!"</p><p>"Stella!" Bloom and Musa called out.</p><p>"So?" Stella goaded. "Who is he? Tall? Handsome? Is he brave and strong, or is he a total nerd?"</p><p>Flora winced. <em>I should text Mirta and tell her not to meet me here... </em>But there was no way for her to text without Stella prying the phone out of her hands.</p><p>"Or maybe he's quiet and reflective, like you!" Stella continued on. "I'm assuming an artist, 'cause come on, you totally dig that stuff. Just give me his number and I'll make sure he treats you like a princess" –</p><p>"Stella," said Layla, quietly. "We came out here to talk about important stuff, not some stupid boy."</p><p>"Oh, sorry," Stella jumped up, remembering. "Flora, why don't you be a darling and join us? You're good at helping with this stuff."</p><p>How could Flora say no? She sighed, nodding as they walked towards the lake.</p><p>“These past few weeks have just been insane,” Musa said. “There’re just way too many things going on – and none of them good. What with Melody’s situation, Lay’s engagement, the Solarian royal wedding” –</p><p>“We have to do something!” Stella cried immediately. “I can’t believe Countess Cassandra hasn’t been evicted by now! I was hoping the situation would resolve itself, but look at what’s happened! She is such a scumbag!”</p><p>“You were there over break, right?” Layla asked. “Weren’t you able to spy on her? If you collected some intel, then we can figure something out.”</p><p>“I <em>was </em>going to go home,” Stella complained, “but then Chimera and I got into this huge fight on the phone. I told her she’d better not get in my way, and she got her dear mommy to scream at me for three hours. Daddy told me it’d be better to just stay at Mom’s place in Lunaria, so that I wouldn’t get into trouble.” She buried her face in her hands.</p><p>“Well, it looks like we’ve got some weddings to crash,” Musa declared. “We’ve just gotta figure out how to expose Crooked Countess, and then we’re all set.”</p><p>They reached the lakefront, gazing into the surface of Lake Roccaluce. Bloom knelt down, placing her hands into the water and soaking in its energy.</p><p>"This lake always calms me," she said. "I mean, this is where Daphne's spirit resides, after she was cursed. And it's where I got the Dragon Fire back."</p><p>Flora nodded absentmindedly, thinking quietly to herself, <em>Mirta, Mirta, Mirta...</em></p><p>"I mean, Daphne was so brave," Bloom said, a tear dripping into the lake. "She sacrificed herself to save me from the Ancestral Witches. I'd like to think I'm as brave as her, but I don't know that I am."</p><p>Flora felt a wave of pity overcome her. She reached for Bloom's hand.</p><p>"It'll be all right, sweetie; trust me," she said. "I know you'll be able to face him. Even though you've both got the Dragon’s Flame, which means your fates will be tied, you'll still be able to stand up against him."</p><p>Bloom recoiled as if Flora's touch was made of lightning.</p><p>"What?" asked Flora, startled. "What did I say?"</p><p>"You said the exact same thing Faragonda told me," Bloom gasped. "How did you know he has the Dragon Fire?"</p><p>"I" – Flora stared around helplessly as the other girls cast her confused looks. "Well" –</p><p>She scanned her brain frantically, trying to think of an excuse. But she realized very quickly there was no way around the truth. <em>I have to tell them.</em> She sighed.</p><p>"A few months ago, I was in the library at the middle of the night," she admitted. "I tried to break in, but then… Avalon caught me. He was about to turn me in, but I convinced him to tell me the truth, and he told me about Bloom's fate being entwined with Valtor's."</p><p>"You mean you knew about this the whole time and didn't tell any of us?" Bloom gasped.</p><p>"Avalon made me swear to keep it a secret, I wasn't allowed to tell anyone" –</p><p>"You knew all this time and didn't tell us." This time Layla didn't even bother to phrase it as a question.</p><p>Flora stared at her friends hopelessly. She wished, with all her heart, that she could just retrace her steps and go back on what she'd said. But it was far too late. "I" –</p><p>"Flora, the best girlfriend in the world!" Mirta came running towards her, wearing a neon red jumpsuit and a pot of <em>flores del iris</em> in her hands. "Surprise! I'm sorry these flowers haven't budded yet, but I really wanted to surprise you and" –</p><p>She stopped as she saw the four other Winx girls standing behind Flora, their arms crossed. Mirta's eyes went wide, and she backed down, her arms trembling.</p><p>"Seems like you've been keeping a lot of things from us," Layla said flatly.</p><p>Flora stared at her friends' gazes, all of which had gone from supportive to grim in two seconds. <em>What just happened?</em> Finally, it was Stella who spoke.</p><p>"How long have you been dating Mirta?"</p><p>Flora swallowed. "For about eight months now."</p><p>"And you didn't tell us?" Bloom asked. "Why would you keep such a thing from us?"</p><p>"I" – In the corner of her eyes, Flora saw Mirta backing up slowly, her eyes downcast and terrified. "I thought – I thought you'd think differently about me. That you'd stop wanting to be seen with me after finding out I was gay."</p><p>Now Layla exploded. Flora shrank back as the dark-haired girl glared at her, rage in her eyes.</p><p>"You thought we wouldn't want to be seen with you anymore? Flora, how could you be such a horrible judge of character? How could you ever think we'd react with anything but love and compassion?"</p><p>"How can you expect us to trust you if you can't trust us?" Musa added.</p><p>With a sinking feeling, Flora stared at the other girls.</p><p>"I'm sorry"… she said weakly.</p><p>"Clearly not sorry enough." Stella's voice cut through the air like stone.</p><p>Flora turned towards Mirta, who was standing with a frozen, horrified expression on her face.</p><p>"We should go," she said quietly, putting her arm around Mirta. The two walked silently away from the grove.</p><p>***</p><p>"I can't believe I didn't let you tell your friends," Mirta sobbed.</p><p>"It's okay," Flora said quietly. "It's not your fault. I didn't want to tell them, too."</p><p>They were in Mirta's dorm. The two girls were crying, sniffing as the insufferably cheerful sun shined in the sky. Flora put her arms around Mirta and rocked her quietly, closing her eyes.</p><p>"How could this have gone so wrong?" Mirta whispered.</p><p>Flora didn't know. She sighed and turned towards Mirta, lowering her head.</p><p>“On Stella’s birthday in Sextmensis,” she said, “we were doing a Teen Fairy Quiz. We came across this question about lesbian girls, and the other girls’ reactions were, well” –</p><p>“What?” Mirta asked, a sense of urgency in her voice.</p><p>“They were shocked,” Flora whispered. “Musa and Bloom were okay, but Stella and Layla – you should’ve seen the looks on their faces. They were horrified.”</p><p>“Is this – us – really that bad?” Mirta whispered. “How could they do this to us?”</p><p>“There’s nothing wrong with who we are,” Flora answered. “But they’ve grown up in such different environments – they wouldn’t understand” – But deep down, she knew that wasn’t true; Layla’s words still rang through her head. <em>How could you ever think we'd react with anything but love and compassion?</em></p><p><em>How </em>could <em>I have? </em>After all, they’d all avoided warlocks like the plague in the beginning of their freshman year, but by the end, they had become allies. The Winx had even been supportive of Mirta’s transformation, something they never would’ve supported a few months before the war. And they’d been through so much together in the past three years, too. <em>How could I be so stupid to think their views were set in stone? </em>Now they would never want to speak to her again.</p><p>"I don’t think there’s anything wrong with us, either,” Mirta answered. "But what are we going to do?"</p><p>"I don't know," Flora answered. "I just don't know."</p><p>***</p><p>That Monday, Flora was roused awake by Griselda's sharp knock on her door. She jumped up, startled, as the deputy headmistress glared at her. "Come with me, young lady."</p><p><em>What?</em> Flora rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and stared around. It was then she realized that Bloom was not in the bed next to her.</p><p>She walked with Griselda to Faragonda's office, and was sat down in a chair. Griselda stood behind her, her hot breath on her neck. Faragonda frowned.</p><p>"Flora, I want you to explain this to me." She turned on a switch on her desk, and a projected image appeared on the wall. Flora stared at it in confusion as the screen turned on, showing that morning's Triple M news on the screen.</p><p>BREAKING NEWS: COUNTESS CASSANDRA AND DAUGHTER REVEALED AS TRAITORS, the headline read. PRINCESS STELLA AND FRIENDS CRASH WEDDING, RECLAIM THRONE.</p><p>Below that was an image of Stella, Bloom, Musa, and Layla, each wearing an identical black suit with an orange, blue, red, or green stripe on the side, respectively. They were all wearing biker helmets and waving at the camera. Flora stared at the screen in stunned horror. <em>They defeated Cassandra? And... without telling me? Without bringing me along?</em></p><p>Then she realized. <em>Yesterday was the wedding… </em>Today was Decemensis 7, and the other Winx had left campus the evening before, claiming they'd be back by night. Flora, worn out from Enchantix training, had crashed at nineteen o'clock, without any clue as to where they'd gone.</p><p>"So," Griselda said, her eyes flashing, "can you tell us exactly what is going on?"</p><p>Flora stared at her, a million emotions going through her head right now. To name the least, hurt and sadness. Hurt because her friends had cast their closeness away so quickly, and sadness because she knew it was absolutely her fault.</p><p>"Although neither you nor Tecna went to Solaria without our permission, we know you are all close friends," Faragonda continued on. "Tecna is in a realm of trouble on her own, so we find it hard to believe she stayed back merely to cover-up. So tell us the truth, Flora. It will be easier that way."</p><p>Flora thought about how strong their bond used to be, how the girls had stood together against the world, against all odds. How close they'd all been, before Tecna had decided to revert back to her old aloof self, before Valtor. He was too good at ripping people apart, destroying friendships and breaking alliances to get what he wanted. And she wouldn't let him.</p><p>"Yes," she said, "I knew."</p><p>***</p><p>Their punishment was to scrub the entire school, all throughout the night – without magic. Kind of a throwback to freshman year, except none of them were as close as they'd been before. Whereas their cleaning party in freshman year had been the dawn of their relationship, this was a dusk, nightfall well on its way.</p><p>Musa tried turning on music, but no one was in the spirit. Stella and Layla ended up squabbling over which mop to use, which left Bloom, Flora, and Musa to do all the work. They went to bed at five in the morning, irritated with each other and completely exhausted.</p><p><em>What's happened to us?</em> thought Flora, lying facedown on her bed. <em>Why can't we trust each other anymore like we used to?</em> Misery shot through her, and she thought, <em>Why did I mess everything up?</em></p><p>She knew she should've been open with them from the start. But she hadn't been – she hadn't learned anything from her time at the Resort Realm. They'd all been squabbling with each other back then, too – but that was mainly from stress, not because they had a deep reason to mistrust each other.</p><p>But Flora had planted the seeds of distrust. She'd sowed them all this time, without knowing, and now the roots were too deep to be pulled out. <em>I can't believe this… </em>She stared hopelessly out the window.</p><p>And she had no one to blame but herself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Ultimatum</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Previously on AUP…<br/>Musa let out a frustrated sigh. “I can’t go back home for break.”<br/>“Musa, I’m so sorry,” gasped Layla. “How bad is the situation?”<br/>“It’s taken interrealm media attention,” Musa answered. “The portal’s become like a tornado. The news-crews and UR Defense forces have been banned from entry, now that two hooligan criminals snuck onto a ship and are jammin’ up Summa. It’s gotten so bad that a radical sect has gained traction, claiming we should relocate to another planet.”<br/>***<br/>"What are you doing here?" Tecna gasped. How had Vasiliev followed her all the way to Magix?<br/>"I wouldn't be worried about me," the man smiled. "I just saw you walking with that boy. Quite the rebel, aren't you?"<br/>Tecna's mouth fell open. Oh no oh no oh no oh no…<br/>"I know you haven't been spending enough time on my lab work, Tecna,” he added. “You have barely finished two hundred sets. I came here to give you some coaxing so you remember what comes first."<br/>"I'm sorry," Tecna gasped, her eyes wide. "I" –<br/>"You will finish six hundred sets tonight," Vasiliev responded. "If you are not done by morning, I will inform your parents about your boyfriend, and they will withdraw you from Alfea."</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was late at night. Tecna worked hard on her sets, finishing the six-hundred-and-twenty thousandth set on her laptop. <em>I'm done… </em>She was about to close her eyes briefly, setting a timer for a two-minute nap, when suddenly, red words flashed across her vision.</p><p>BREAKING NEWS: KING OF MELODY DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY, ORDERS CITIZENS TO EVACUTE TO MELODIAN OUTPOSTS.</p><p>"<em>What</em>?" Tecna gasped out loud.</p><p>She pulled the article up on her internal screen, scanning through it. But she found no information of importance. Apparently the portal – or tornado, as it was now being called – had gotten so out-of-hand that people were being temporarily evacuated to Melody's exo-planets. <em>How in the realms are they going to build enough shelters there? </em>How were they sending <em>all </em>11.6 million Melodians off the planet? And more importantly, <em>why</em>?</p><p><em>Have they caved to the radical citizens' demands? </em>She remembered Musa saying something about it. <em>No, that can't be it…</em> She scrolled to the bottom of the article, but the closest thing she found to information was: <em>King Jun has refused to respond to a request for comment.</em></p><p><em>I guess I'm never going to figure out why. </em>Frustrated, she sat back and placed her head on her desk, knowing she had far more problems than whatever was going on in Melody. Her head ached, and she had shed two kilos just in the past month.</p><p>She wished she wasn't like this. She wished more than anything else that she could let herself loose, dancing with Timmy and spending time with her friends like before. But it was no longer possible.</p><p>"Tecna, listen to me!" Timmy had phoned her, desperately. "You need to stop doing so much work. It's taking over your life!"</p><p>"No," Tecna said, warily. "I forbid you to tell anyone."</p><p>"Tecna," Timmy whispered, "You won't survive like this. Please listen to me! You're going to" –</p><p>"No!" Tecna shouted. "I can't have anyone know! That would be the end of me, and you know it! Vasiliev's too dangerous!"</p><p>There was a silence. Then on the other line, Timmy whispered, "Tecna, is there something you're not telling me?"</p><p>Tecna didn't answer. <em>He can't know… </em>She drew in a shallow, gasping breath at the memory.</p><p>"I have to go," she said, and then she hung up.</p><p>She still hadn't caught up with her work for any of her classes. Her teachers were in absolute despair; no one could get through to her or speak to her about what was going on. The other Winx girls had finally given up on getting her to "care for herself", whatever that meant - as with Flora, they were angry at her too for not showing any interest in their problems.</p><p><em>When was the last time we were like this? </em>Tecna thought in dismay. <em>When was the last time things were ever this horrible? </em></p><p>She could only remember one time as debilitating as this, and that was when they were in Faragonda’s office after attacking Avalon. She remembered how angry everyone had been, how furious she was that no one was listening to her side…</p><p>“I know you’re upset, Headmistress,” she said, “but I stand by my actions!” Much of the staff had convened in front of them; she saw Griselda’s disgusted look, Palladium’s worried face, Faragonda’s angry eyes, Avalon’s vehement disapproval, and Wizkiz’s uncomfortable expression. “The book described everything exactly right. Professor Avalon taught in the realm of Frost right before it was destroyed! His wings were exactly the same shape and color, and he promises everyone he can make her dreams come true! Coincidence? I think not!”</p><p>“All right,” said Faragonda, holding her hands in the air. “Now let’s see what Professor Avalon has to say.”</p><p>“There are ten-thousand fairy-men with the same wings I have,” Avalon said. “I use them when I need to, when I’m being <em>chased</em>, for instance.” The girls gasped in horror. “And when the realm of Frost was destroyed, it’s well-documented that I was a visiting professor at Summa University.”</p><p>The other girls had backed down, but Tecna wasn’t about to give up. “Well then, how do you explain that you appeared at multiple places at the same time?”</p><p>“Er – that was all my doing, Tecna,” Wizkiz said awkwardly. “Remember my new invention? The Magical Multiplier?” He took out a jug-shaped item, cranking the handle. “I was doing an experiment to see what would happen if I created realistic-looking holograms of the professors on campus! Like <em>this</em>!” A dozen Faragondas appeared right behind them, all with disapproving expressions on their faces. The girls stared around at each other, completely shocked.</p><p>“More than one headmistress?” Stella blurted out. “What a nightmare!”</p><p>Flora cast her a glare. “Stella!”</p><p>“Something’s wrong with it!” Wizkiz gasped. “It’s out of control!” The machine began to spit and hiss, sending smoke everywhere. The holograms disappeared. Eventually the machine lay broken and decrepit on the desk, and Wizkiz sighed. “Another invention up in smoke.”</p><p>Musa stepped forward. “I guess we were wrong.”</p><p>“We really messed up this time,” Flora agreed.</p><p>“I don’t understand,” Tecna protested. “The flowers – the wings – the alignment of the planets – everything was in-order! Logic tells me that” –</p><p>“Tecna,” Faragonda interrupted, “as hard as it may be for you to accept, you were <em>wrong</em>! Your logic was flawed, and you and your friends have a lot of damages on the second-floor corridor to pay for! Now, I believe you all owe Professor Avalon an apology.”</p><p>Tecna sighed, lowering her head. She had never felt so miserable as this, never so defeated and sullen. She took a deep breath.</p><p>“We’re sorry, Professor Avalon,” the five girls said in unison.</p><p><em>I was wrong that day</em>, Tecna thought. <em>Well, I was right about Avalon, but I was wrong about everything else. I can’t believe it. </em>She let out a sigh. <em>And now, I’ve still got things just as wrong as ever.</em></p><p>She stared at herself in the mirror. Her skin was whiter than chalk, and her black-rimmed eyes were no longer concealable by potion. Sickness marred every feature of her body.</p><p><em>I'm not who I once was</em>, she realized. <em>I'm not the girl I was a year ago. </em>She lowered her gaze.</p><p><em>It's just a dream</em>, she told herself desperately. <em>Please, tell me everything had just been a dream. That I'll wake up in the morning tomorrow, and none of this will have ever happened. I'll never have met the Winx, and I'll be back at home, being the good, proper girl I've always been.</em></p><p>Except it wasn't a dream – Tecna knew that better than anyone. And so did Mr. Vasiliev.</p><p>She had to meet with him that night and sneak out of the dorm. She was taking a big risk now - after all, she wasn't allowed under any circumstances to leave Alfea. But she knew she had no choice. Taking in a sigh, she walked out of her dorm and headed down to the floor.</p><p><em>Here it goes</em>. Closing her eyes, she focused a wave of her techno-magic, some that would breach the Alfea barrier. Opening a small hole, she darted out of the barrier and into the night.</p><p>But she wasn't alone.</p><p>"I know you're out there," Digit's sharp voice filled the cold night air.</p><p>Tecna turned around and saw Digit flying towards her, her eyes wary and narrowed. She took a nervous step back.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to stall for time.</p><p>"Don't lie to me, Tecna," Digit snapped. "I know you're going out now. In fact, I've seen you with that creep before. What are you doing with him?"</p><p>"Nothing," Tecna said feebly, but Digit growled.</p><p>"You come back right now, Tecna, or I swear I'll tell Ms. Faragonda."</p><p>"You don't even know what's going on," Tecna said, waves of anger coming over her. "Stay out of this, Digit. It's for me to deal with."</p><p>"I bet I know what's going on!" Digit gasped. "You're cheating with him on Timmy!"</p><p>"What?" If Tecna had thought she was angry before, this doubled it. She glared at Digit. "How dare you say that?"</p><p>"Well, what else explanation is there?" Digit snorted. "You've been so aloof with me and the other Winx lately. You haven't spoken to anyone but Flora in the past month, and maybe once in a while you see Timmy."</p><p>"I would never do that to Timmy," Tecna cried. "I love him."</p><p>"Well, I've never heard you tell <em>him</em> that!"</p><p>That was it. Tecna glared at the pixie, and sent all of her energy at her.</p><p>"Digital cage!"</p><p>Digit screamed as a World Wide Web appeared around her, slamming her against the barrier. Tecna stared at her, helplessness in her eyes.</p><p>"I'm sorry!" she cried, and ran off. The spell would wear off in fifteen minutes, but she had to hurry, for Digit would no doubt go and tell.</p><p>She slowed her gait as she reached the grove. <em>It's so cold… when did it get this cold?</em> Vasiliev, wearing a purple overcoat, walked towards her, his eyes glinting, "Good to see you," he said sardonically, holding out his hand. "Let me see what you've done."</p><p>Tecna showed him her laptop, and he scanned over her work.</p><p>"This could hardly be called a set," he said smoothly. "You made multiple errors here. Look." He pointed to the screen.</p><p>Tecna stared in horror. <em>Oh no...</em> Her arithmetic had been all off, which had caused the algorithm to fail, and therefore all subsequent algorithms after that. Vasiliev flipped through the rest of the week's work.</p><p>"This is all filled with mistakes," he announced. "This is not engineering. This is childish nonsense."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Tecna whispered.</p><p>"You are a disgrace," Vasiliev said disgustedly. "You useless piece of trash. I should never have saved you and made you a cyborg. I should've just left you in the hover crash, so you could meet the fate you deserved."</p><p>Tecna's heart nearly stopped at that statement. <em>He's right, he's right...</em> She fought against crying as she remembered the hover crash, how terrified she'd been back then. How the hover, due to a programming error, had hit rock and stone. She could hear the screams of the passengers beside her, and then silence.</p><p>Everything had happened so fast then, she hadn't been able to process it. But she'd always wondered why she had been chosen, out of all of them, to survive. Not a single of the others survived, but she alone had lived. And she didn't deserve a single bit of it. <em>I am a failure...</em></p><p>"For that, there must be consequences."</p><p>Tecna's eyes snapped up as Vasiliev stood over her. <em>He was close, too close...</em> Her heart beat as he spoke.</p><p>"You will no longer see your precious boyfriend," he said.</p><p>The lump that had formed in Tecna's throat now exploded. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"He has been taking away from your work," Vasiliev said icily. "You are no longer to see that useless boy."</p><p>A million thoughts swarmed through her head, not the least defeat. If Vasiliev said she couldn't see Timmy, she could no longer see him. Vasiliev would see if she was going with him; he knew everything about her. He had her controls, after all.</p><p>"And if you see him, then we'll have to see if he can live or not."</p><p>Tecna's eyes snapped up, and she stared at him in alarm. "No."</p><p>"Yes," he answered coldly. "As soon as you see him, his heart will stop."</p><p>"No!" Tecna cried out. "You can't!"</p><p>Vasiliev laughed. "Oh, I most certainly can," he said. "You have no way of stopping me."</p><p><em>No...</em> Rage built up in Tecna. Without quite meaning to, she slammed her magic into Vasiliev, throwing him to the ground.</p><p>He was not prepared for this, and fell. In horror, Tecna realized what she had just done, and bowed down. "No"... she whispered.</p><p>Above her, she heard Vasiliev hiss in her head, "Don't you dare ever try that again. I have the controls with me right now: I can kill you right now." He sent a jolt through her body.</p><p>It was the worst sensation she'd ever felt, worse than any of the other times he'd ever done this to her. She screamed out and collapsed in his arms, and he smirked sardonically.</p><p>"Cute," he smirked. "Interesting how you can love, when it has been scientifically proven to be impossible."</p><p>He released her, and she drew back in fear. Vasiliev smiled, his unnaturally straight teeth glinting.</p><p>"Do you know why I do this, Tecna?" he asked.</p><p>She stared up at him in surprise; this was one of the first times she'd ever heard him refer to her by her actual name. "N-no," she choked out.</p><p>"Control is everything," Vasiliev said, and for a moment, his eyes positively gleamed. "Control is what brought our ancestors to where they are now. Control makes us stronger. And… absolutely glorious."</p><p>This <em>is what you call glorious? </em>Tecna wanted to shout. <em>Look at me! I have no </em>life<em>! </em>As if hearing her words, Vasiliev laughed.</p><p>"It is control that has made me who I am today," he said. "Because of control, I have power over many, many people. And when my program comes to fruition, I will have so much control. All this time, you've been my test subject, my little experiment to see what happens when I have control."</p><p>Tecna stared weakly up at him, but Vasiliev didn't elaborate more on the subject. He smiled.</p><p>"As an ancestor of ours once said," he whispered, "'Control is the essence of chaos.'"</p><p>Tecna had no idea what he was talking about. <em>That's completely illogical! Control </em>prevents <em>chaos! </em>How did this make any sense?</p><p>She'd never seen him like this before. For the first time, she began to wonder what she was mixed up in, what she was creating by writing all that code. <em>It doesn't matter… because once it's finished, this'll all be over. </em>Vasiliev smiled, his teeth glinting.</p><p>"Goodbye," he said. With a formal bow, he disappeared, leaving Tecna to stare after the man who so controlled her life.</p><p><em>I'm an idiot</em>, she thought. <em>I'm such a disgusting, horrible loser. No wonder everything's been going so wrong.</em></p><p>She wasn't going to survive out of this, and she knew it. She closed her eyes.</p><p><em>Please, please let this end. </em>Her feed was unusually quiet, allowing her an odd semblance peace as she stared at the ground.</p><p>
  <em>Let me suffer no more…</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>Next pair of chapters:</strong>
</p><ul>
<li><strong>Flora receives an urgent call from her father.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Flora talks to Tecna, reminiscing on their convergence test last year.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Faragonda delivers terrible news about Melody.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Tecna has a painful conversation with Timmy.</strong></li>
</ul><p>
  <strong>I’d also appreciate it if you guys would take the time to drop a comment. This story took a lot of time to write, and so I’d really like to hear from my readers. I want to know what you think about the storyline. If you have time to comment, please do. Thanks!</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next pair of chapters:<br/>–	Flora receives an urgent call from her father.<br/>–	Flora talks to Tecna, reminiscing on their convergence test last year.<br/>–	Faragonda delivers terrible news about Melody.<br/>–	Tecna has a painful conversation with Timmy.</p><p>I’d also appreciate it if you guys would take the time to drop a comment. This story took a lot of time to write, and so I’d really like to hear from my readers. I want to know what you think about the storyline. If you have time to comment, please do. Thanks!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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